


Heir Apparent

by orphan_account



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Birds of Prey (Comic), DC Extended Universe
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Angst, Danger, F/M, Rehabilitation, Slow Burn, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-08-25 20:28:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 53,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16667764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Dick Grayson must assume the mantel of Batman for a time, as Bruce Wayne as been seriously injured.





	1. Chapter 1

Gotham City was Batman’s city. And like its vigilante hero, it was a dark, mean place, even though Batman wanted it to be more than that. There were other hero vigilantes who were based out of it, like the Birds of Prey and the rest of the Batman clan, but when you thought of Gotham Batman came to mind first. That was one of the reasons Dick Grayson left Gotham for California and San Francisco. At seventeen, he started the Teen Titans and he, as Robin, was their leader. Three years past and the Teen Titans became the Titans and he became Nightwing.

Another year past and Tim Drake, one of his replacements in Gotham, joined the Titans. Nightwing passed the baton of leadership to the Red Robin and Donna Troy, especially since he ex-fiancé Koriand’r, or Kori, left the group along with Arsenal, Roy Harper, and joined the Red Hood. Jason Todd, another one of his replacements, though one with a tragic past, became the Red Hood once he stopped being Robin. They called themselves The Outlaws and made a tropical island and Kori’s spaceship as their base. They went where Jason thought they were needed. It was an odd little trio.

Dick made Bludhaven his base. He was the only vigilante in town. After joining the Bludhaven Police Department, Nightwing made himself known in Bludhaven. This lasted for three years then an exhausted Dick Grayson decided to become only Nightwing. He realized that he needed to concentrate on one career Nightwing with Dick Grayson being the mask he showed the world.

Once a member of the Titans, Justice League, and Batman’s clan, he was now a former member of the Titans, an emergency member of the Justice League, and he had no idea how to describe his relationship with Batman and those who followed him. In some ways Gotham City was still his home. He started living with Bruce Wayne as his ward when he was thirteen and became Robin at fourteen, as well as his adopted son. Dick knew he owed Bruce a great deal, but he couldn’t live in his shadow any longer. Then again, he couldn’t get away from it, either.

His smart phone rang and rang. He took it out of his pocket, as he waited at a stop light in his black Porsche 911. The call was from Alfred Pennington, Bruce’s butler and the titular grandfather and caretaker for the Batman clan. He slipped his Wayne Enterprises special edition smart phone into encrypted mode then put Alfred on speaker.

“Hey, Alfred,” he greeted him.

“Master Dick, I’m sorry to bother but Master Bruce needs you desperately. Bane broke his back,” Alfred stated. Dick could hear the suppressed emotions in his voice. “We have told the public that Bruce Wayne was in car accident, but, in order to make this work, Batman needs to make an appearance.”

“I’m Nightwing, not Batman,” Alfred.

“You are his heir apparent, Master Dick,” said Alfred. “Damian won’t allow anyone else to take Master Bruce’s place. We need you, Richard. I need you.”

Dick sighed. Alfred needed him. Damian needed someone to control him, and Bruce needed the one thing he hated to admit and that was someone else’s help.

“I need to tie up a few things here in Bludhaven. I’ll be in Gotham City and the mansion by this evening. You better start figuring out how to make me look like Bruce in those suits of his. I’m three inches shorter and almost thirty pounds lighter,” Dick told him.

“I’ll get started on it,” Alfred said then added. “Thank you, Master Dick.”

“I’m coming home, Alfred.”

 

DCEU

 

With some luggage in the trunk, including his Nightwing gear just in case, of his Porsche 911, Dick sped along the roadway until he reached the security fence of Wayne Manor. In many ways Wayne Manor was as stately a manor as you could find in England, but instead it was built brick by brick, plank by plank in the outskirts of Gotham City. A security light scanned his Porsche then the gate opened. He drove up the long roadway to the place he once called home.

Pulling his car up in front of the house, he got out, walked to the front door, and rang the doorbell. A moment later much to Dick’s surprise Clark Kent opened the door.

“Clark, have you taken over for Alfred?” teased Dick.

Clrk chuckled then he said, “Alfred is at the hospital with Damian checking on Bruce. I said I’d wait for you to get home before I flew home.”

“Thanks. Clark. How is he?” Dick asked.

“Once he’s able to be moved I’m taking him to my Fortress and letting the Kryptonian medical robots fix his back. But it’s going to be a long rehab. He’ll have to teach himself to walk again. His spine will be better than before, but nerves will have to be regrown, nerve endings reattached, and a several other problems. It is going to be painful for him, Dick. Very painful, but he’ll have the chance to be good as new in the end,” Clark explained.

“If he can survive the cure,” said Dick.

“That’s about right,” sighed Clark.

They walked into the living room. Dick walked over to the bar and poured himself an expensive single malt scotch. He added one ice cube then took a sip.

“Will you be working with the Justice League as Batman?” asked Clark.

“Take Batman off the roster until Bruce is ready to assume the cowl,” said Dick. “I’m strictly an emergency member.”

Clark smiled. “I understand.”

Dick took another sip of his drink.

“I should fly,” said Clark. “I need to patrol Metropolis. Do you want me to give Gotham City a once over before I leave?”

“Could you, Clark. I need to prepare before heading out. Tomorrow will be the soonest I can start patrolling,” said Dick.

“I’d be glad to do it. Just don’t tell Bruce,” he said then disappeared in a streak of speed, leaving Dick alone.

He took his drink and walked into the kitchen. There were two refrigerators. Dick remembered that Alfred kept leftovers and sandwich meats in one of them. Since his stomach was growling, he decided to make a sandwich or two then go down to the Batcave and start getting himself ready.

Opening one of the refrigerator up, he found what he was looking for. He grabbed roast beef, Swiss cheese, and mustard then closed the door. Next, he found some excellent bread and made himself two sandwiches then put everything away and headed into the den where the antique Grandfather clock would give him access to the Batcave.

 

DCEU

 

Damian and Alfred returned from the hospital. Having seen Dick’s car parked out front, they knew where to find him and headed down into the Batcave. Once they arrived they saw Dick staring at a Batman suit that Bruce had designed for Dick. It was gray and black with boots that had a built-in lift to add a few inches of height for Dick. Also, a few of Nigthwing’s tricks were designed into this suit. The whole suit could be electrified acting as a giant Taser; the cape manipulated into a para-sail; and part of the utility belt was a staff that could also be turned into Escrima sticks.

Overall, the suit was built for a more agile, more acrobatic Batman. Dick stared at it and shook his head.

“He knew I’d have to do this someday,” he stated.

“Master Bruce always hoped that you would succeed him, though he had contingency plans,” Alfred added.

“We going out tonight, Grayson?” asked Damian.

“No. Tonight I need rest. Tomorrow, I look for Bane,” said Dick.

“What about me?” asked Damian.

“Bruce left a note on the computer. You have an agreed schedule of all patrolling three nights a week during the school year, even though you are homeschooled,” said Dick. “We are keeping to that schedule.”

“But… I need to revenge my father,” growled Damian.

“No. You need to train and learn. I need to deal with Bane,” said Dick.

“When will you see Master Bruce?” asked Alfred.

“This weekend. Tomorrow I have to go the Wayne Enterprises and take on my role as acting chairman, which I really don’t appreciate,” sighed Dick.

“Master Bruce expects you to take on all his duties,” said Alfred.

“Oh, really, are there any of his girlfriends I should prepare for,” said Dick.

“I don’t think so,” smiled Alfred.

“You’re going to have to train with me,” grinned Damian.

“Thanks for the reminder, little guy,” smirked Dick.

“I don’t like being called little Guy,” growled Damian.

“And someday you won’t be but until then,” Dick said then he looked at Damian. “Get a sense of humor, kid. It’s one of Bruce’s liabilities not having a sense of humor.”

“Humpf,” was Damian’s reply.

“I have your old bedroom prepared for you, Master Dick,” said Alfred.

“Okay. I’m going to do some research on Bane, see if I can find his hiding spot,” said Dick.

“Check Penguin. Cobblepot may have hired him. My father thought he was behind it,” said Damian.

“I read Bruce report,” said Dick.

Once more Dick stared at the Batman uniform designed for him. Damian noticed this and said, “Criminals are used to Batman being intimidating and kicking ass. Can you do it?”

“I have my own style, squirt,” smiled Dick. “Well, I need to read about on what the board meeting is going to be about then I’m grabbing some sleep.”

“I’ll have eggs Benedict waiting for you in morning along with coffee, Master Dick,” said Alfred.

“Alfred, you are the best,” grinned Dick.

 

DCEU

 

Dick’s Porsche 911 sped down the sub-level garage and parked in what would normally be Bruce’s parking space. He got out of the car dressed in a black Brioni silk and wool blend suit along with a white tailored shirt and gold cufflinks. His suits were a black Italian loafer and his black hair, a little long at the moment, kept in place by some gel. Usually, Dick wore jeans and whatever was in the closet but he knew that he needed to look the part.

He placed his hand on the biometric security plate of the elevator. It read him as Richard Grayson. The elevator doors opened, he entered and took the elevator to the executive floors. When the elevator opened, a young woman was waiting for him. She had blond hair looked to be around the same age as Dick.

“Mr. Grayson, I’m Sarah Lang. Mr. Fox has assigned me to be your administrative assistant. I’m to escort you to your office and get whatever you need, while preparing you for the board meeting,” she introduced herself.

“Lead on, Miss Lang,” said Dick.

He followed down a long hallway until they reached a large office with widows that were slightly darkened in order to keep the bright sun from overwhelming the office. Dick headed over to the desk and sat down. Miss Land sat in the chair in front of him.

“Would you like a coffee or tea?” she asked.

“Maybe later,” he smiled. “What is this board meeting about?”

“With Mr. Wayne incapacitated and you acting chairman of the board, several of the board members would like to limit your ability to make decisions or initiate projects,” she said.

“Between Bruce, who I believe has temporarily given me power of attorney and the right to vote his shares, myself, and Lucius we have seventy-six percent of the voting share, correct?” asked Dick.

“Yes. And Mr. Fox has told me that he will vote however you want,” she stated.

“Good. In that case we are ready for the board meeting,” smiled Dick.

“I see Mr. Wayne has trained you well,” said Miss Lang.

“I’m well aware of Bruce’s style. He is pleasant, willing listen and to work with anyone, but Bruce puts the hammer down when necessary. This is necessary. I could be acting chairman for up to six months, or so Alfred informed me this morning. I don’t intend on letting the board gain control. They are advisors and well compensated ones, and no more,” stated Dick.

“Meeting is one floor down and will begin in half an hour,” said Miss Lang. “Do you want a tour?”

“No. I know this building well,” sighed Dick. “I used to come here as a kid.”

“Well, I see you in the meeting,” she smiled then got up and left.

Dick turned his chair and stared out of the widow. Bludhaven was a city with a population of five hundred thousand people. Gotham City had a population of over eight million people. He was going to have to get into a different mindset acting as Batman and working in Gotham City.

In the executive conference room, the long table was filled with six board members, Lucius Fox, and at the head of the table was an empty chair waiting to be filled by Dick Grayson. Along the wall sat administrative assistants and lawyers.

Suddenly, the door of the conference room opened and Dick entered carrying a mug of coffee. He smiled at everyone then sat down at the head of the table. He looked at Lucius, who sat on his right.

“You ready to make this a quick meeting, Lucius?” asked Dick.

“I do have work to do,” he said.

“I do, too,” said Dick then he looked down the down and raised his voice. “I heard that you want to limit my ability as acting chairman of the board. There is talk of amending rules and taking a vote and such. Mr. Wayne has provided me with the power of attorney and I will be voting his shares. I also own ten percent of Wayne Enterprises voting shares and Lucius owns five percent. That is seventy-six percent. We will be voting as a block. Nothing will pass that you want to pass. So, I ask you, do you want to tilt at windmills or do you actually have business to discuss?”

The meeting was quiet until finally one of the older members cleared his throat. It was Franklin Hennessey. His family had been on the Wayne Enterprises board for two generations.

“I see that Bruce has taught you well. He also taught you manners,” smiled Hennessey, “and that is not a compliment. How is Bruce doing?”

“He could be out of action for six months, Mr. Hennessey,” answered Dick.

“My daughter Angela remembers you well, Mr. Grayson. She told me that the Iceberg Lounge is the hot spot,” said Hennessey.

“I’ll have to check it out if I have the time,” said Dick.

The next individual to speak was Elizabeth Banning, who had her eye on gaining power at Wayne Enterprise.

“Do you intend to turn this meeting into a mockery, Mr. Grayson?” she asked.

“You own four percent of voting shares, Mrs. Banning. The mockery here is to think that you could outvote me. Did you think Bruce Wayne was a fool and he wouldn’t have given me to proxy to vote his shares?” Dick prodded her.

“I had hoped for some fairness,” she said.

“The board members have twenty-four percent of the voting shares of the Wayne Enterprise stock. Twenty-four percent. This isn’t set up to be fair, Mrs. Banning. Although, Bruce did tell me that all you need in business to make the decisions is one percent. That is one percent more than everyone else. When you have that one percent, you can make this fair,” said Dick. “Now, are we taking a vote or are we not?”

“Did you go to college, Mr. Grayson?” asked William Dean, another long-time member of the board.

“No, I didn’t. I did go to one of the best prep schools in Gotham City, but I decided against college. I do own a Circus, though. Haly’s Circus. It travels mainly in Europe and Canada now since Circuses aren’t popular anymore here in the states. I have thought about a limited tour, though. Also, I’m a graduate of the Bludhaven Police Academy and was a cop for two and half years,” smiled Dick.

“Same. You’d make a brilliant businessman,” said Dean. “I hope you stick with it someday.”

“Thank you,” said Dick.

“Ladies and gentlemen, are we done here? I’d like to show Dick something important before he leaves for the day. I know he wants to check on Bruce,” said Lucius.

No one spoke up.

 

DCEU

 

Lucius escorted to the science division, special projects. He showed me a few items then when they had a chance he showed me the plans for the next Batmobile. It was part race car and part armored vehicle. Dick loved it.

“What sort of speed are we talking?” asked Dick.

“One hundred fifty miles per hour. If you engage the jet engine 200 miles an hour,” smiled Lucius.

“It’s great. Are you building it?” Dick asked.

“It should be done in a month,” said Lucius.

“I look forward to testing it,” said Dick. He checked his wrist watch. “Damn, I have to get going.”

“Bruce waiting for you?” asked Lucius.

“You know it,” smiled.

“Give him my best,” said Lucius.

“I will.”

 

DCEU

 

Bruce had a private room at Gotham Medical. Before seeing him, Dick stopped to talk to his primary doctor, Dr. Andrew Miller. He told him that Bruce refused to be put on strong pain killers. According to his doctor, the pain killers they were giving Bruce barely took the edge of his pain. Dick noted this and entered the room.

Alfred and Damian had been there. They now were at lunch. The TV was on a local cable news channel. Bruce had his eyes closed.

“You finally made it,” Bruce said.

“You heard me?” Dick asked.

“You didn’t even try to use stealth,” said Bruce.

He opened his eyes. His dark blue eyes were filled with pain.

“I saw the suit,” said Dick. “You planned for me to take over eventually.”

“You were one of my contingencies,” he growled. “The cowl has a mic to mask your voice. I doubt you can deepen yours like I do.”

“Not without destroying my Karaoke days,” smiled Dick.

“How did the board meeting go?” he asked.

“I slapped them down. They wanted to neuter my position, but I wouldn’t let them,” said Dick.

“How did it feel?” asked Bruce.

“Like I was taught by a master,” answered Dick.

“Bane. He’s improved his formula. He’s stronger. Took me by surprise how much stronger,” strained Bruce.

“Well, I have a trick our two he won’t expect. And thanks to you one of them is my Batman suit is like my Nightwing suit. I can Taser him,” said Dick.

“Be careful, Dick. We both can’t be laid up in here,” he said. “Jason… Jason is not Batman material and Tim still needs seasoning.”

“I understand, Bruce. I get Bane and then I’ll be Batman until you are ready to put the cowl on,” I said.

“Gotham City is your only concern. Not Bludhaven, or the Justice League, or the Titans. Gotham City. Crime is on the rise, especially violent crime,” Bruce told me then started to cough because of the pain.

“Bruce. I won’t leave Gotham City unless there is an emergency,” said Dick.

 

DCEU

 

The new suit felt strange. He wasn’t sued to having a cowl covering his head. All he wore was a mask. Yes, his mask hid his eye color, which was gray blue, but it didn’t cover his head. Now he had to get used to cowl. But, at least, this one had white protective glass to hide his eyes, just like his mask. His gray blue eyes were too distinctive not to hide them.

Instead of the Batmobile, he took out the Batcycle out. The Batcycle was a modified street bike with a 786 cc liquid looked V-4 engine. It contained a computer controlled carburetor and bullet-proof windshield. He put the cycle in whisper mode and zipped through the streets of Gotham until he found a back alley he liked. Locking up the cycle he used the grappling gun to take to the roof tops.

According to Bruce’s and Damian’s intelligence, Bane was taking control of the docks. With Batman gone, he decided to stay, even Penguin paid him to get rid of Batman then leave. As Dick situated himself on top of a warehouse roof, he waited for a sign of Bane. It didn’t take long. A four-door sedan came hurtling through the closed doors of a nearby warehouse. There were men in the sedan. They scurried out of the car, as Bane walked out of the warehouse.

“This is my docks now,” he told them in his loudest voice.

Another two car and a van appeared and ten men got out of them with weapons. Bane laughed.

Dick took it as an invitation to join the fray. Grabbing a couple of smoke pellets from his utility belt, he threw them at the new men encasing them in a cloud of smoke then he para-sailed off the roof and at Bane. He headed towards him at great speed changed position at the last moment and kicked Bane in the head then did a flip away him landing on his feet.

Bane recovered quickly. He glared at Batman.

“I broke you,” he yelled.

“I used duct tape to put myself back together,” Dick joked.

His voice was changed by the mic in the cowl to make him sound deep and growly like Bruce but more so. Dick smiled at this. Bane thought he was mocking him and attacked.

The new formula made him faster as well as stronger. Dick barely dodged him as he hurdled himself at Dick. Next, Dick took a batarang out and prepared himself for close quarters combat. He needed to cut at least one of the lines that sent the formula from Bane’s backpack into his body.

Dick tried a leg sweep of Bane, but, instead, he got kicked in the knee causing him pain and some damage. Rolling away from Bane, Dick came up and threw a gas pellet at Bane. He heard the large man choke on the gas, which was only an irritant. With this opening he attacked Bane, but he got caught in Bane’s arms, which started to squeeze him like a vise.

As Bane squeezed Batman, the Black Canary and Huntress appeared on location and engaged the ten men who Dick had put in a smoke cloud. Considering their talent and skills they went through the ten men putting them on the ground and out in a matter of a few minutes. They turned their attention to Batman being squeezed.

“We should do something,” said the Huntress.

“Wait. Give him a second to disengage,” said Black Canary.

Enduring the pain, Dick reached behind him and he used the Batarang as a knife and stuck it into the regulator that controlled the flow of the formula then he turned his Batman uniform into a giant Taser. Bane was taken back by the combination of pain and change of formula flow. His formula sped up then slowed to a drip then slowed up causing his system to overheat and overload.

Letting go of Batman, Dick was able to do a back roll away from Bane then jumped up in the air and his boot connected with Bane’s jaw. With his body overloading and overheating, the blow to his jaw sent him to the ground. Dick stood over him and watched as Bane’s regulator broke completely and he started to shrink back to his normal, which was still large.

Dick stepped back. His knee was throbbing and he knew that at least two of his ribs were broken. It was a most eventful first night. Dick touched his belt that sent out a signal to the police.

“I thought you were hurt, Batman,” the Huntress said.

“Batman is injured. I’d know those moves anywhere. It’s Nightwing,” stated the Black Canary.

Dinah Lance was six years older than Dick, but it seemed as if she had been doing hero vigilante work almost as long as Dick. Dick looked at her and chuckled.

“Police are on their way. We should leave,” he said.

“Come on, Canary,” the Huntress pulled her. “Let’s go.”

Dick started to limp away from them. Between the broken ribs and damaged knee, he was going to take his time back to the Batcycle. The Black Canary watched him limp away for a moment then she headed off with the Huntress. Tomorrow, she asked Barbara about Nightwing taking over for Batman.


	2. Chapter 2

Dick woke up in his bed with throbbing ribs and a throbbing knee. Alfred had wrapped both his knee and ribs after a scan last night. Two ribs were cracked on his right side and his knee was swollen, but the damage was limited. He’d need a couple of days off the knee and some extra armor for the ribs when he went out on patrol. On the nightstand beside his bed waited a glass of water and a bottle of Advil. Dick took three pills then he noticed that Alfred had left a cane for him to use when walking. He got up and readied himself to join Damian and Alfred for breakfast.

Using the cane, he limped his way downstairs to the dining room where he found Damian reading something on his i-Pad and eating breakfast. Alfred entered and motioned Dick to sit. Dick sat down at the opposite end where Bruce would sit.

“I have waffles and sausage for you, Richard,” said Alfred.

Instead of Master Dick it was Richard when he was injured. He always worried about them. Dick smiled.

“Sounds delicious. Can I have orange juice and cup of coffee, too?” he asked.

“Of course, you can,” said Alfred, who then disappeared to get the food and drink.

“Bane is in custody,” said Damian. “Right now, he’s at St. Mary’s Hospital for detoxing and injuries then they say a judge is ordering him to Arkham for observation. He won’t go to trial unless he is found sane.”

“It’s a start,” said Dick. “Bane is not insane, though, when he’s on the juice. He’s just more of himself, a tower of rage and ego.”

“His new formula made him stronger,” Damian said excitedly. “That is interesting.”

“And faster,” added Dick.

“We should get a sample of it to see if we can synthesize an antidote,” Damian suggested.

“I’ll talk to Gordon about it,” Dick said. “He’s usually willing to share such things.”

“How long are you off patrol?” Damian asked.

“Two days. The knee should be fine after that. Saturday, you and I will patrol together,” Dick stated.

“Good,” smiled Damian. “Father will be happy that you got Bane.”

“Let him know when you see him today. Tell him that the Taser worked well enough to stop him from crippling me. He might want to incorporate the same technology into his Batman gear,” said Dick.

“Where will you be?” asked Damian.

“Wayne Towers doing some work. I have to act like the acting chairman, especially since I just put down a place coup. I can’t shirk my duties,” he answered.

Alfred entered with a tray and Dick’s breakfast. He placed everything in front of him them he went over to a seat where a cup of tea sat and sat down.

“I will set out a suit for you, Richard,” said Alfred.

“No tie,” Dick said.

“No problem,” he retorted.

Dick chuckled.

 

DCEU

 

Dinah woke up in her bedroom wearing a men’s large tee shirt that highlighted her ever curve. She preferred to live alone after breaking up with Oliver, but Helen needed some place to stay as did Katana. They roomed up in her spare bedroom, which meant one of them ended up on the sofa every night, as they tended to get on each other’s nerves. Unfortunately, she could hear them talking to Barbara, who must have come over before heading off to work at the police department in the IS Department.

“Batman kicked Bane’s ass last night. It was impressive,” stated Helen.

“Impossible. Batman is seriously injured. It couldn’t have been him,” said Barbara.

“It wasn’t Batman. It was Nigthwing wearing a Batman gear. He looked good in it, too,” Dinah told them as she exited her bedroom.

Everyone turned and stared at her.

“Are you sure?” asked Barbara.

“Positive. I know his fighting style. It was Nightwing. When it comes to acrobatics and agility, no one can touch him. He did a flip and a kick that was classic Nightwing,” Dinah said. When it came to analyzing fighting style, Dinah was the best at it. “From what I noticed he broke a couple ribs and hurt his right knee. Bane lost but he got his licks in.”

“I should visit him at Wayne Towers before I go into work and check in on him,” said Barbara.

“Oh, you’re still sweet on him,” said Helen.

“Dick and I are friends and only friends now. It was too hard to be more than that for us,” she said.

“Especially, since he’s left a long line of broken hearts,” teased Helen.

“You think he’ll be at Wayne Tower today?” asked Dinah changing the subject.

“I’m positive. He’ll be acting like he doesn’t have a care in the world,” explained Barbara. “It’s their way of keeping their identities hidden.”

“Well, say hello for me,” smiled Helen.

“Stay away from Dick Grayson, Helen. He is not your type,” Dinah stated.

“Handsome, well built, and a great ass, yeah, not my type at all. Anyway, all I said was say hello,” she smirked.

“Dick must be hating this. He thinks of Gotham City as Batman’s city and Bludhaven as his own and now he is Batman in Gotham City,” said Barbara.

“Well, he’s here for now. We might want to work with him like we do the real Batman,” said Dinah.

“We’ll talk about it at the Gotham Clock Tower tonight. Catwoman and Lady Shiva will be there along with us,” said Barbara.

“How’s the new Oracle training going?” asked Dinah.

“Gus is a great hacker, even better than me. I still process information better, but he’s getting there,” said Barbara.

 

DCEU

 

Dick arrived at work in a charcoal gray three-piece Brioni suit. He wore a light blue linen shirt but no tie. Bruce hardly ever wore a tie, so Dick decided to go the same way. Sarah Lang greeted him at the elevator and escorted him to his office. Since he didn’t want to limp around with a cane, Dick had put one of Bruce’s knee braces on. He was lucky that it didn’t show under his designer suit pants.

Sitting down at his desk, he looked at Sarah.

“I gather Lucius has some things he wants me to either sign or review,” Dick said.

“Actually, they are right here in this folder,” she said and then handed the folder over to him. “May I get a coffee with half and half and two sugars?”

She smiled then said, “I get you a mug right away.”

Sarah Lang left him alone to get to work. Dick opened the folder and started to review the materials. Where his signature was needed he signed. Where his opinion was necessary, he wrote a note with his opinion. Sarah Lang returned with his coffee and he continued to work.

Around nine fifteen, a visitor was announced then escorted into his office. Dick got up from his desk and greeted Barbara then he gave her a kiss on the cheek. They had been boyfriend and girlfriend off and on for years. Right now, they were just friends, good friends. He motioned her to sit down then he sat back down.

“Dinah said that you injured ribs and your knee last night,” she said. “I can’t tell.”

“Knee brace and my ribs are wrapped tightly. I’m fine,” he said. “How is Dinah?”

“You always did have a crush in her,” smiled Barbara.

“Please, no one wears leather better than the Black Canary,” Dick grinned. “Anyway, Robin had a crush on her. He had a crush on you, too.”

“So, you are going to be Batman for the time being,” said Barbara changing the subject. She still had strong feelings for Dick and blamed herself for their relationship not working.

“Six months tops. That’s how long it should take Bruce to rehab his back and get back into Batman shape. Knowing him, it’ll be five months,” Dick said.

“I intend on visiting him today after work,” she said. “I know he hates people visiting when he’s laid up, but he also needs to know he has family who cares.”

Dick smiled then he said, “Other than checking on me, is there a reason you are here?”

“You know about the Birds of Prey?” she asked.

“I know about them. There is a whole file about them in the Batcave,” he smiled.

“We work with Batman from time to time. I’m offering you the same opportunity of working together from time to time,” she offered.

“If there is a chance to work together then I look forward to it,” said Dick.

“Good,” she grinned. “I should get to work. I have to run a check on the CCTV system. I think someone has been fooling around with it.”

Dick stood up and walked her to the door. He kissed her cheek again then he returned to his desk and got back to work.

 

DCEU

 

Dinah Lance was geared up. She wore her black leather pants, black leather bodice, and black leather jacket, which had some thin armor inserts in it. With her helmet on, she was ready for whatever the night held for her. Getting on her bike, she zipped through the city. The communication device in her helmet beeped, so she answered it.

“Hey, Canary, a bank alarm just went off in the Financial District,” said Oracle.

“I’ll check it out, Oracle,” she said.

“Do you want to send anyone else out to back you up?” he asked.

“No, I can handle this,” she answered then she broke off the communication.

Heading off through Chinatown then the Fashion District, she was almost at the Financial District. She turned the corner and she could she the bank in question. Six well-armed thieves exited the bank with backpacks loaded with cash. They wore balaclava to hide their identities and their weapons were military grade.

Before Dinah could plow into them with her bike then give them a canary scream to disable them, she heard a roar and saw the Batmobile pull up in front of the bank. The windshield and roof of the Batmobile retracted and the car seats catapulted Batman and Robin out of the car. Robin landed and immediately with a leg swipe took out two men then attacked a third. Batman balled up, did a flip, and came down on three of the men. As Robin took care of his thieves, methodically taking the three men apart, Batman knocked out two of the men with savant kicks then he noticed the third was going to shoot Robin with a handgun. He grabbed the man’s wrist, twisted until there was a snap and a break, then he elbowed him in the jaw knocking him out.

In the background, the sound of police sirens could be heard. Dinah watched as this new Batman and Robin got back into the Batmobile and headed off. She revved up her bike and headed off. There be other work for her to do tonight, though she had to admit that Dick worked well with Damian. Maybe having been a Robin taught him how to partner well. She hoped that she had a chance to work with him.

The patrol started at eleven and it was now two in the morning. Robin was on a rooftop with binoculars and a listening device recording a conversation between one of Flacone’s henchmen and a cop. It was dark and chilly out. November in Gotham City was when the weather started to get cold. Dick sat on the roof with his feet dangling. Once Damian was done with his work, they would head off for the night.

“Hi, handsome,” a familiar purr drew Dick’s attention.

He looked over his shoulder and Catwoman sauntered up beside him and sat down. She offered Dick a smile.

“How is the real Batman doing?” she asked.

“In pain and will need to do some serious rehabbing once his back his fixed, but he’ll be fine in the end. You know Bruce, he’ll use this to improve his fighting style,” said Dick.

“Who is going to fix his back?” she asked.

“Superman,” smiled Dick. “He’s going to use Kryptonian medical technology to fix him. It’s a sign of their friendship that he’s going to do this, too.”

“Damn, poor Bruce. I want to go see him, but I’m not sure he wants to see him,” she said.

“Aren’t the two of you seeing each other off and on?” asked Dick.

“Well, sort of. It’s a complicated relationsip. You know what they are like,” said Selina.

Dick laughed then said, “I only have complicated relationships. I almost married an alien princess until I found out she was already married on her planet. Of course, I also dated an Amazon princess, Donna Troy, and they aren’t my most complicated relationships.”

“How old are you?” Selina asked.

“I’m twenty-three. Be twenty-four in March,” he grinned.

“I keep forgetting how young you are,” she said.

“Go see him. He needs people, even if he doesn’t think that he does,” said Dick. “I know Bruce fairly well and I can tell you that he loves you, Selina. He never loved Talia, or any of the others, but you drive him crazy. He loves you.”

“So, you’re telling me to visit him in the hospital,” said Selina.

“Yup,” he said then he looked over at Damian, who gave him the thumbs up. “Well, my night is done.”

“Goodnight, Batman,” said Selina.

“Goodnight, Catwoman.”

 

DCEU

 

Dick spent the morning after breakfast transferring the intelligence that they got the night before to a thumb drive, so he could give it to Jim Gordon. Alfred and Damian were preparing to visit the hospital and Bruce. Dick headed upstairs to join them.

He caught up to them in the front hallway. Alfred looked at Dick and shook his head.

“Jeans, black shirt, and brown leather jacket. You look like a thug, Master Dick,” Alfred remarked.

“It’s a day off. I don’t wear suits on my day off,” grinned Dick.

“We are taking the Mercedes limo,” Alfred stated.

“Let’s go,” replied Dick.

They arrived at Bruce’s hospital room to find Selina Kyle, dressed sedately for her in a black pantsuit, talking Bruce. He actually looked slightly happy. When they entered she smiled at Dick and mouthed the words than you.

“More visitors,” growled Bruce, “I guess I’m popular.”

“And loved,” added Selina.

“I brought you, Master Bruce, you’re favorite Sunday food,” said Alfred.

“Can’t eat it, Alfred. With my back broken, I’m having trouble swallowing. Everything I eat is either mush or in the form of a shake,” said Bruce. “I can’t wait until I have a steak.”

“When will you be able to travel?” asked Dick.

“Two weeks,” grinned Bruce. “Clark was by yesterday. He’ll take care of my travel plans. He already has everything prepared for me.”

“How long will you be gone?” asked Damian.

“Three weeks,” said Bruce. “Clark said that beside my back, he’d have them heal my arthritic left knee and hip. I’ll be as good as new. He is taking vacation so that he can be there the whole three weeks with me. I look forward to being better than I was.”

“I’ll judge that,” smirked Selina.

Bruce and Selina looked at each other for a moment but said nothing. They had a great deal to deal with once he was ready and fit.

“May everyone leave me and Dick alone to speak?” asked Bruce.

“Of course, Master Bruce,” said Alfred.

Damian and Alfred exited the room, while Selina kissed Bruce’s cheek then she left. Dick stood by the bed and waited for Bruce to speak.

“Thank you,” Bruce said in a strained voice. “I know that you hate being back in Gotham and I have no doubt that you hate being Batman. You have established yourself as Nightwing, but you are willing to do this for me. It means a lot to me, Dick.”

“Bruce, I’m here because I want to be,” said Dick. “All you should worry about is getting better. I’ll be here as long as you need me.”

“Lucius came by yesterday. He says that you are natural in the board room,” said Bruce.

“I’ve watched you for years, Bruce,” said Dick. “I learned by watching. You’re pretty good at dealing with the board.”

“But you put them in their place,” Bruce grinned. “I wish I could have seen that.”

“I have to admit that it was fun,” smiled Dick.

“Did you read the file on Penguin on the computer in the Batcave?” he asked.

“No.”

“Read it. He’s up to something, something big. He tried to have me killed for a reason. He wants this city all to himself. Oswald Cobblepot always had a need to be the number one in Gotham City, but this time he has a plan that he thinks will work,” said Bruce. “The Iceberg Lounge is his headquarters.”

“We caught a Flacone henchmen telling a corrupt cop that Oswald is bringing in some heavy hitters to take out his competition,” Dick told him.

“Let Gordon know,” said Bruce. “Killing the competition is only part of his plan. There is more to it. My guess is that he will someone try to make himself the hero of the city.”

“I intend on doing talking to Gordon tonight,” said Dick.

“Our weekly meeting at the diner?” Bruce grimaced as a wave of pain went up his spine.

“Yup,” said Dick.

“Be honest with, Jim. He’s a good man. One look at you up close and he’ll know that you aren’t me,” said Bruce.

“I know that, Bruce. I’ll tell him that you went undercover in Europe. You’re trying to bring down the League of Assassins,” Dick told him. “Is that okay with you?”

“Good,” grinned Bruce. “Well done.”

A yawned pried Bruce’s jaws apart. Dick smiled.

“You’re tired. I should let you get some sleep,” Dick said.

“It’s all this medication,” sighed Bruce. “I’ve never slept so much in my life.”

“Well, get some more rest,” said Dick. “We’ll talk later.”

 

DCEU

 

The East End Diner at two in the morning was almost empty. Jim Gordon entered and went to the usual booth. Three minutes later Batman exited the kitchen and joined him. Jim looked at him with curiosity. Dick smiled. He knew that he wasn’t the real Batman.

“I ordered us both coffee and you a bagel. I’m getting a cheeseburger,” Dick told him.

“Do you want to explain?” asked Gordon.

“I’m Nightwing. Batman is working undercover right now in Europe and the Middle East trying to track down certain members of the League of Assassins. I believe you know how feels about the league,” explained Dick.

“So, I’ll be dealing with you for now,” said Gordon.

Dick reached into his utility belt and handed him the thumb drive. Gordon took it and examined it.

“There is a conversation recorded on that between one of Falcone’s henchmen and a corrupt Gotham cop. They are talking about Penguin, who has hired some assassins to come to Gotham and start getting rid of his competition or him,” Dick told him.

The owner brought over the coffee, the bagel, and a cheeseburger with fries. Dick nodded at him and he left. After fixing his coffee the way he liked it, he put ketchup on the burger and fries and started to eat.

“Sorry, I’m hungry,” he said as he ate.

Gordon put butter on his bagel and took a bite. He was amused by the Batman. The other Batman was all business. If he ate anything it was because his body needed fuel. This one was eating with enjoyment.

“This is a good cheeseburger,” he smiled.

“Glad you’re enjoying it,” said Gordon. “Any idea what we should do about Penguin?”

“Oswald deserves both our special attention. He’s an egotist who wants to be the king of Gotham City because his parents rejected him and they loved this city,” said Dick. “We both knows he acts as a third party in most weapons deals in Gotham. I think we should end that.”

“You’ll be putting a target on both our backs,” said Gordon.

“I hope the GPD can keep you alive. Maybe Chief O’Hara can be in charge of your security. He’s honest,” said Dick.

“Clancy is nearing retirement. I’d rather keep him safe. I’ll find someone to be in charge of my security,” said Gordon.

“You’re going to have to get rid of the bad apples in the GPD,” Dick stated then took another bite of his cheeseburger. He followed that up by eating several of the steak fries.

“You appear to be hungry,” observed Gordon.

“Well, I honestly forget when the last time I ate was,” said Dick.

“You don’t sound like Batman Won’t that be a problem?” he asked.

“I have a voice modulator built into the cowl. When it’s on I sound like a pissed off version of Batman,” explained Dick.

“Ahh, so you like the way Batman normally sounds,” smiled Gordon.

“Exactly,” replied Dick, who then gulped down half his coffee.

“Are you in rush?” asked Gordon.

”I want to get you back home,” said Dick.

“No need. I’ll go back to my office and catch a few hours on the couch then it’s time to get to work,” said Gordon.

“I can’t argue with that,” nodded Dick.

“So let’s enjoy our meal and this one is on me,” said Gordon.

“I’ll pay the next time,” said Dick.

“That’s the way it goes. Maybe I’ll try a burger the next time,” smiled Gordon.

“I think we might have a good partnership, Jim,” said Dick.

“We might at that,” smiled Gordon.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Bruce’s schedule was pushed up, mainly because he forced it. After two weeks in bed hating every minute of it, he was ready to be moved. Clark was going to pick him up tomorrow and take him to the Fortress. He promised once a week to pick up Alfred and Damian to visit with Bruce. The same offer was made to Dick, but he told Clark he couldn’t leave Gotham City because he was Batman. They both laughed at this. Batman didn’t leave Gotham unless he had a good reason.

The first heavy weight assassin Penguin brought to Gotham was named Raptor. Once a circus performer like Dick, he contracted leprosy as a young boy. The cure made him immune to pain. After that he became a thief then was trained to be an assassin. Besides being trained in weapons and hand to hand combat, he had acrobatic ability that almost matched Dick’s making him a formidable foe.

He attacked Batman in the Fashion District when Batman tried to stop a fur robbery. It was all a setup, though. The thieves quickly ran for their lives leaving Raptor against Batman. He attacked Batman with knives. Dick managed to avoid most of his attacks. Unfortunately, he did receive a cut that went through his Batsuit leaving a slice across his ribs, which he was able to ignore.

Several right hooks and a left jab to the jaw did little to disable Raptor because of his immunity to pain. Dick decided to take a different tact against him. They went acrobat against acrobat until Dick saw his opening and broke his knee cap to a kick bending his knee in the wrong direction. Even if he couldn’t feel the pain of the injury, his knee was useless, so he couldn’t walk. With that Dick used a smoke pellet to blind Raptor and when the smoke cleared he was handcuffed and disabled. The police picked him up and took him away.

Dick took the Batcycle back to the Batcave. Once he arrived he parked the bike then got off the bike and headed for the medical area. Unexpectedly, Alfred was already waiting for him.

“Get out of your suit,” said Alfred.

“How did you know I was injured, Alfred?” Dick asked.

“I got a call from Barbara. It appears that she was monitoring your activities since you are without backup. She told me about your encounter and potential injury,” said Alfred.

“Birds of Prey, huh? Maybe they should be called Birds of Observation,” smiled Dick.

“According to her the Black Canary watched the fight and saw that you got cut. They are worried about you, Master Dick,” said Alfred.

“Oh,” smiled Dick. “Dinah was watching.”

Alfred began swabbing the blood with a gauze. He then dabbed alcohol on the wound and finally he started to stitch him up.

“How many stitches this time?’ asked Dick.

“I’d say sixteen should do it,” said Alfred.

“That’s more than I thought,” said Dick.

“My stitching is meticulous,” said Alfred.

Dick grimaced as Alfred stitched him up. When he finished he applied a large bandage to cover it.

“Okay, how many stitches did you do?” asked Dick.

“Sixteen, Master Dick, as I predicated,” said Alfred.

“Is there anything ready to eat?” Dick asked.

“You have a choice between beef stew or a roast beef sandwich,” Alfred told him.

“Beef stew,” smiled Dick. “You know I love your beef stew, Alfred.”

“Get showered and dressed and I’ll meet you in the kitchen. Wine or would you prefer a beer?” Alfred asked him.

“A beer please,” said Dick.

Alfred went over to the elevator to the mansion, while Dick took the rest of his gear off and then stepped under a stream of hot water. His muscles were sore and tired. Tomorrow he had an eleven o’clock meeting with Lucius, so he’d sleep to nine. He needed the rest.

It always amazed him how Bruce survived on so little sleep. Bruce was either working on something for Wayne Enterprises or was working as Batman, and training in between. Also, tomorrow, an ambulance will be bringing Bruce home then Clark will take him to his Fortress. Dick hoped that Clark was prepared to deal with a grumpy and demanding Bruce Wayne. He finished his shower then toweled off. Once dry, he put on a pair of jeans, a black tee shirt, and slipped on a pair of loafers then he headed up to the kitchen and a waiting Alfred.

“Ah, Master Dick, sit down,” Alfred said.

On the table was a steaming bowl of beef stew, several fresh rolls, and a bottle of cold beer. Dick sat down at the kitchen table then he picked up a roll and dunked it in the stew. He bit into the roll and smiled.

“I missed this, a good hot meal,” he said. “After a patrol in Bludhaven, I’d grab a burger or Chinese, or a pizza. All the while I’d keep hearing Bruce’s voice in my head that diet matters. That we had to eat healthy. Of course, he has you to cook for him.”

“And he has particular taste in food. Master Bruce would rather have a bowl of homemade pasta than a hot dog,” said Alfred.

“A good hot dog is really good, though,” grinned Dick.

“You’ll be here to say goodbye to Master Bruce tomorrow,” stated Alfred, though it was a question.

“I’ll rush here after my meeting with Lucius so I can see Bruce,” Dick told him.

“I know he’ll appreciate that,” smiled Alfred.

 

DCEU

 

Along with a black Armani suit and white linen shirt, Dick wore a pair of Ray Ban dark glasses in order to hide a black eye that Raptor gave him. When he got up in the morning, he noticed the black eye and decided it was best to hide it rather than disguise it. With dark glasses on, he sat in the meeting Lucius Fox asked him to be in trying to stay awake and pay attention. They were looking for a city with to open a second headquarters for Wayne Tech, including a factory to make Wayne Tech smart phones.

So far, the suggestions were Central City and Coast City. Lucius looked at Dick.

“Richard, do you have any suggestions?” he asked him.

“We are looking for a city where the cost of living will be reasonable for our workforce, taxes will favor us, and real estate is cheap, correct?” asked Dick.

“Yes,” smiled Lucius.

“I recommend we send representatives to Bludhaven. It has a workforce in need of jobs, a mayor open to tax breaks for a business willing to expand, and the real estate is cheap. I own a warehouse I turned into my home there. Plus, we already own the Forsyth Building. And it has a railhead as well as a dock,” Dick told them.

“I like it,” said Lucius. “Bludhaven sounds like it has everything we are looking for.”

“But, sir, we have already spent hundreds of thousands investigating Central City and Coast City,” said one of the men at the table.

“Waste of money, Lucius,” said Dick. “I recommend Bludhaven and I’ll be willing to take a trip there to discuss tax breaks with the mayor myself.”

“I agree, Richard,” said Lucius. “Bludhaven now becomes our number one target city.”

The meeting ended and Dick rushed off in his Porsche to Wayne Manor. Letting himself in, he wasn’t surprised to see Barbara, Dinah, Damian, Alfred, Selina, and Clark there with Bruce. Clark greeted Dick.

“Dick, you’re looking very business like,” he said.

“Thanks, Clark,” Dick smiled.

Bruce was in a wheelchair looking uncomfortable. Dick headed over to him.

“Bruce, good to see you,” Dick said.

“When I get back, I’ll need to start rehabbing. Can you prep the gym on the second floor for me?” asked Bruce.

“We’ll have all the equipment you need in there to rehab by the time you get back,” said Dick.

“I’ll also need a therapist to help me,” added Bruce.

“I’ll take care of that,” said Alfred.

“Good, Clark, shall we get going?” asked Bruce.

Clark nodded then he did a twirl at speed only Wally West or Barry Allen could follow. When he came to a stop, he was dressed as Superman.

“I’m ready,” said Clark.

He walked over to Bruce and picked him up out of the wheelchair and held him like a bridge being carried over the threshold.

“Do you have everything that Master Bruce needs at the Fortress?” asked Alfred.

“I have everything,” smiled Clark. “Now if someone can open the French doors in the breakfast room. We’ll be gone.”

Damian ran off then he returned and said, “They’re open.”

Clark sped away leaving everyone standing there.

“Should I order us pizza or Chinese food?” Dick asked those who were left.

“Chinese,” purred Selina.

“I agree with kitty,” said Dinah.

“Chinese,” mumbled Damian.

“I’ll order the food,” said Alfred.

Dick took off his dark glasses. Dinah walked up to him and took a close look at his left eye.

“That won’t last too long,” said Dinah.

“I should change,” he smiled then headed to the front staircase.

Once he was gone Selina spoke up.

“He needs backup. My intelligence tells me that the next assassin in town is Floyd Lawton, Deadshot,” she stated to the crowd.

“Someone should tell Dick that,” said Dinah.

“I’ll tell him. I’m his partner,” Damian spoke up. “And he’s my brother.”

Barbara tried not to smile, but she couldn’t help herself. Damian actually liked having Dick as Batman. Alfred came back into the area.

“Shall we go into the den? There are plenty of places to sit and alcohol for those who wish to have a drink,” Alfred said.

“Lead on, Alfred,” said Selina.

By the time Dick came downstairs, everyone had a drink, except Damian and Alfred. He knew Alfred would have a glass of wine later when he thought his duties were done. Dick walked over to the bar and saw there was a bottle of Malbec and a good. He poured himself a glass and then he poured half a glass. Picking up the half of glass, he held it up towards Damian.

“Damian, here. I know you have had wine before. The League of Assassins serve it was part of certain meals. Here,” he said.

Damian took the glasses then he looked up at Dick.

“Thank you,” he said.

“No problem,” said Dick.

“Catwoman says that her intelligence places Floyd Lawton in town. Deadshot is the next assassin you be up against,” said Damian. “What do we need to do?”

“Enjoy tonight, train, try to discover what Penguin’s plan is, and kick Lawton’s ass when he comes after me,” grinned Dick.

“I’m here for you, Richard,” said Damian.

“I know it,” relied Dick.

Dinah looked at Dick. She was amazed at how old he seemed. She remembered him first as Robin. He was amazing to watch back then with his energy and acrobatic moves, but he was a child. Dick Grayson was no longer a child. He was a man. And a very interesting man.

“Master Dick,” Alfred appeared in the doorway, “the food is almost here.”

“Oh,” smiled Dick. He reached in and took out his wallet then he took out a black credit card. Walking over to Alfred, he handed him the card. “Here, Alfred. That should cover it. Don’t we have household cards for situation like this?”

“We did. Master Bruce, though, caught a certain young man using those cards for purchasing items and other reasons and decided to do away with them for now,” explained Alfred.

Dick looked at Damian then asked, “What did you buy?”

“An antique katana. It was made during the Edo period,” said Damian.

“Where is it?” Dick asked.

“On my wall in my room,” grinned Damian.

“What else?”

“A hard to find poster of the Flying Graysons. It is going to be your Christmas gift,” said Damian.

Dick looked at him and a sad smile crossed his lips.

“Damian, that is the best gift you can give me. I’m actually having the Haley Circus come to America in a few months. I thought a short tour before it goes up into Canada. You and I will have to attend a special performance,” said Dick.

“Finally, I get to meet the people you grew up with before Bruce,” said Barbara.

“If I let you,” smirked Dick then he turned and exited the room.

 _I want to get to know this Dick Grayson,_ thought Dinah.

 

DCEU

 

Deadshot never missed, or so it was said. He missed but usually his second bullet did the damage his first bullet didn’t do. Dick heard the shot before he felt it hit him in the center of the back. Between the synthetic material of his cape, as well the armor of his suit, all it did was knock him off his Batcycle while traveling at a good speed. The Batcycle crashed into a parked car damaging it beyond repair, while Dick rolled behind a car taking cover.

“Master Richard, are you okay?” Alfred asked as he had been monitoring him this evening.

“Batcycle is ruined and I just took a bullet to my spine. I have no idea what the damage is. Probably contusions and bruises only,” Dick answered.

“I informed Batgirl and she has sent the Black Canary to back you up,” said Alfred.

“Damn, got to go. Floyd is using explosive round now. My cover has blown up,” Dick yelled, as he rolled away from one car and behind another one.

Wherever he was Deadshot had great cover and he was taking advantage of it. Dick knew that he had to find better cover, so he prepared to take off again. His back was hurting him, as well as his right hip and knee. Getting knocked off the bike without time to prepare had opened him up to injuries. Dick squatted down, waited for the gunfire, then he took off running across the street and finding cover behind a van. The last car he hid behind exploded in a ball of fire as an explosive round hit its gas tank.

Suddenly, the roar of a bike could be heard and the Black Canary came speeding down the street. She stopped beside Dick. When Deadshot fired at her, she let loose a Canary Cry, which destroyed the bullet. She then sent another Canary Cry in the direction of Deadshot. Wherever he was she knew that her sonic cry would destroy his sights and probably do more damage.

“Need a ride?” she asked.

“I guess I’m riding bitch,” said Dick.

“Well, I’m not,” said Dinah.

Dick got on her back. He put his arms around her and she took off. Dinah let Alfred know that they were on the way back to the Batcave. Dick held on to Dinah and tried to ignore the pain in his back, hip, and knee.

When they arrived at the Batcave, Dick slipped off the bike and immediately pulled off his cowl and cape then he bent over as pain shot up his spine. Dinah came up beside him.

“How are you doing?” she asked.

“Bruises and contusions. I’ll be fine,” he said.

“Let get you out of the suit so Alfred can check you out,” she said.

Next, the utility belt came off and then the boots. Alfred prepped the medical area. Dinah helped him take off his suit. When he bent his knee to get out of the suit he winced. Dinah looked at his swollen right knee and discolored from bruising right hip. He started walking to medical area and Dinah saw his back. Right in the center of his back, it was discolored from bruising, also. _Thank God that bullet didn’t get through_ , she thought.

“Master Dick, I liked to scan you to check if you have any broken bones or internal damage,” said Alfred.

Dick laid down on the table for the scan. This was a bit of Kryptonian technology that Bruce promised Clark that he’d introduced to hospital in a few years. It would replace CAT scan and X-Ray. Alfred adjusted the medical computer then scanned Dick’s body.

“You’re lucky, Richard. You’re injuries are painful but not serious,” said Alfred. “The knee will need time to rest and a brace.”

“I need a brace that lets me move,” Dick said.

“We’ll work on that,” said Alfred.

Dinah looked at the damage done to the knee. It was structural sound but there was some instability. Definitely, he needed a brace.

“You can get up now,” said Alfred.

“The light is warm and I’m sore. I think I’ll just stay here for a few minutes,” said Dick.

Dinah looked at the young man lying on the table. She smiled. He had a great body. Alfred tossed Dick a robe. Slowly, Dick sat up and put on the robe. Again, Alfred disappeared and reappeared with a knee brace. He gave it to Dick. While Dick tried to put it on, Alfred disappeared again. Dick grimaced as he pulled up the brace.

“Hold on,” said Dinah.

She walked over to him.

“Here, give me your leg,” she said then she started to pull on the brace. Once it was over the knee. She stepped back.

“Thank you, Dinah,” smiled Dick. “I’ve been Nightwing for years and I’ve been shot, stabbed, broken arm, and beaten close to death Blockbuster, but I never had nagging injuries. This knee is going to be a nagging injury.”

“Don’t be a crybaby,” she said.

“Again, thanks for showing up and helping. I need the assist,” said Dick.

“How un-Batman like to admit to that,” she said.

“Well,” he moved and a spasm of pain went down his spine.

Dick lurched forward from the pain. Dinah moved in close to him and let him rest his head on her left shoulder. As he tried to breathe through the pain, Dinah caressed the back of his head.

Finally, the pain stopped and Dick started to move. As he did do their eyes met. Blue eyes and gray blue eyes stared at each other for several moments. Dinah took several steps back. Dick smiled.

“Thanks,” he said, “I guess I’m being a wimp.”

“Pain is pain.” 

Alfred reappeared. He looked at Dinah and Dick and decided not to ask any questions.

“Upstairs there is warm food and drink then Master Dick, you are going to take a jacuzzi. As for you, Miss Dinah, I thought you could spend the night. I have a bedroom available to you, as well as a change of clothes. You’d be surprised how much women’s clothing we have in this house,” said Alfred.

“I’ll take you up on that, Alfred,” said Dinah.

“I’m going to have to call in sick tomorrow,” said Dick. “I need to work on this back and get it flexible.”

“I’ll talk to Lucius and tell him you need a few days,” said Alfred.

“Thank you, Alfred,” said Dick.

 

DCEU

 

Dinah hadn’t slept in a bed so large or so comfortable since her time with Oliver. As she stretched out in the huge bed, she thought it must be a billionaire thing. Or in the case of Bruce Wayne fifteen billion dollars. Poor Ollie was only worth four billion. Getting up out of bed, Dinah dressed in the jeans and hoodie that Alfred provided for her.

Once she exited the bedroom, she was shocked to see Damian walking down the hallway reading a tablet. He walked right past her and headed to the stairs and went down the them. Dinah decided to follow him. Damian walked in the breakfast room, where Dick already sat drinking coffee and reading a tablet. The dish in front of him was empty.

“Good morning, Miss Dinah,” Alfred said behind her.

Dinah was spooked for a moment. She turned and faced Alfred.

“Care for breakfast?” he asked.

“Coffee, please, Alfred,” she said.

“Would you like soft boiled egg with toast? I know I find that a satisfying breakfast,” he suggested.

“Sounds delicious,” she said.

Dinah went into the breakfast room and sat down. Damian looked up at her and said, “Hi.”

He then returned to his reading. Dick put down his tablet and offered her a good morning smile.

“I hope you slept well,” he said.

“I’ve been sharing my apartment with Helen and Katana, so it was nice to get a quiet sleep,” she told him.

“Anytime you need quiet, you can get it here,” Dick said.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

“Jacuzzi last night followed by a few hours of sleep then stretching and another round in the jacuzzi and I finally feel like a can move,” he explained. “I’ll probably do some more exercises after my breakfast settles.”

“You won’t be patrolling tonight, will you?” she asked.

Damian put his tablet down to listen.

“I have a feeling that Gordon will be contacting me, so I’ll be out there tonight,” he said.

“Floyd Lawton will be out there waiting for, Dick,” she said.

“I know. I hope to God he doesn’t shoot me in the back again. I honestly think that I’d cry,” he smiled.

“You’re an idiot,” sighed Dinah.

“Dinah, please, tell me how you really feel?” Dick teased.

Damian picked up his tablet and started to read again then Alfred entered with her coffee. He placed it in front of her.

“Alfred, did you know that Dick intends on patrolling tonight?” Dinah asked him.

“His stubbornness is equal to if not greater than Master Bruce’s,” stated Alfred.

“Well, he’s an idiot,” said Dinah.

“On that note, I need to change into some workout gear and work on my back and hip. The knee I’m just going to have to leave to a brace,” said Dick.

He stood up and walked out of the room.

“I hope the Birds of Prey keep an eye on him,” said Alfred.

“I’ll talk to the others. I have a feeling that we’ll make Batman part of our watchlist,” said Dinah.

“Let me get your breakfast,” said Alfred with a smile.

Damian looked up from his tablet and said, “Assassins can smell weakness. Batman could damage last night, so Deadshot will go after him again tonight, but this time he’ll make sure he’s closer.”

Damian went back to his reading, while Dinah took a sip of her coffee. _It looks like I’m going to have to shadow Batman until we get Deadshot,_ she thought.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Dick recognized the thugs as being part of Penguin’s gang. They attacked him on his way to see Commissioner Gordon, as the Bat Signal was high in the sky. Moments after he parked his new Batcycle, a gift from Lucius, in order to take to the roofs, four thugs emerged from the shadows attacked him. Dick wondered if there were thugs waiting for him at other strategic spots. Chances were that Penguin had others waiting for him around the city.

As the first two came for him, Dick reached to his utility belt, grabbed his compressed staff, and extended it. He then took out the first two thugs gutting one and knocking the other unconscious with a hit to the head. The one bent over from the blow he knocked out with a kick then he prepared for the other two, who took out guns. Dick used the staff as a pole vault hitting one of the thugs in the chest then dropping his staff upon landing so that he could grab the other thug.

The one he grabbed was six foot five and easily weighed two hundred and eighty pounds. Dick grabbed the front of his shirt, brought his legs up to the man’s thighs, and then did a back flip off him just as Floyd Lawton fired what he hoped to be a kill shot. Instead of hitting Dick, the thug took a bullet in the shoulder and went down hard. Dick landed grabbed the staff, compressed it, put it back on his belt, then he grabbed his grappler and fired it. The thin high tensile wire with the grappling hook grabbed onto the ledge of a four-story building and Dick went up and onto the roof.

Taking a binocular with night vison from his belt and started to search for Deadshot. He managed to find him, as Deadshot found him with his rifle. Lawton was about to shoot Dick when he spied the Black Canary coming up behind Deadshot and then she used her Canary Cry to knock off the three-story rooftop and onto a car roof below. Dick stood up and waved at the Black Canary.

She responded by turning her back on him and walking away. Dick smiled. He had to admit that he enjoyed the view that she gave him. Dinah was only five or six years older than him, but she acted as if she was his elder and superior at times. Dick put away the binocular and waited of the police to come. When they arrived at the location, he waved at them and then he disappeared. He needed to get to his meeting spot with Commissioner Gordon.

 

DCEU

 

“He’s late,” growled Chief O’Hara, who waited on the rooftop of Gotham Police Headquarters along with Commissioner Gordon.

“He’ll be here,” said Gordon, who then put the collar of his overcoat up to protect him from the cold.

O’Hara took a flask from his coat and took a swing of warming whiskey. He offered the flask to Gordon, who nodded his head no, though he didn’t begrudged O’Hara a little liquid warmth.

“I know you trust Batman, but I’ve never felt right about working with him,” said O’Hara.

“When has he failed us?” Gordon.

Dick swung from a higher building, did a black flip, and landed a few feet from the Bat Signal. He looked at Gordon then O’Hara.

“I’ve failed but not often,” he said using the mic in the cowl to distort his voice.

“I hate when you appear out of nowhere,” snapped O’Hara. “You’re going to give me a heart attack.”

“If you check with your men, Floyd Lawton is in custody,” said Dick.

“You stopped him?” asked Gordon.

“With the help of the Black Canary,” Dick told him.

“Another one for Arkham,” remarked O’Hara.

“Contact A.R.G.U.S. about him. I think they’ll have a more original use for him then having a psychologist talk to him for hours,” suggested Dick.

“Suicide Squad?” asked Gordon.

“Yes,” answered Dick.

“Suicide Squad. What the hell is the suicide squad?” asked O’Hara.

“A.R.G.U.S. sends a group of talented criminals on missions with a low chance of survival. If they complete the mission they get time off their sentence. If they don’t then they die,” Batman explained.

“They are missions that are necessary, O’Hara. I’ve had access to some of the intelligence they’ve collected,” said Gordon.

“Well, I have nothing against Lawton earning some redemption,” said O’Hara.

“You called me,” Dick stated.

“O’Hara has started removing corrupt cops, both street cops and detectives. Unfortunately, this is leaving us with holes in our system,” said Gordon.

Dick reached into his utility belt and took out a thumb drive with all the intelligence he had on Penguin and who were the corrupt cops. He tossed it to Gordon, who caught it and stared at the drive in his hand.

“That is filled with intelligence that should help you with Penguin and corrupt cops. As I collect more intelligence I’ll get it to you,” said Dick.

“Does it include any evidence?” asked Gordon.

“In the case of the corrupt cops you’ll find photos and some financials,” said Dick.

“Should I ask how you got them?” asked O’Hara.

“Use them or don’t. It’s your choice. All the information is real and operational,” said Dick.

“We’ll go through it thoroughly,” said Gordon.

“I should get going,” said Dick.

Dick took a handheld computer from his utility belt. He started up the new Batcycle and gave it activated the GPS, so that the cycle could come to police headquarters on its own. Waking over to the edge of the building he turned to speak to Gordon.

“You won’t be able to get ahold of me for two or three days. Don’t worry, though, I will be working,” said Dick.

“Undercover work?” asked Gordon.

“You might call it that,” Dick grinned.

He heard the cycle coming, so he turned and jumped off the building. Using the cape as a para-sail he made his way safely down to the ground then he got on the cycle and took off.

“O’Hara, I have no idea how that man jumps off buildings without having a heart attack,” said Gordon.

O’Hara offered him the flask again. This time Gordon took it and took a long swig. He handed the flask back.

“Neither do I,” said O’Hara then he took a swig.

“Let’s get to work. I want to see this intelligence he gave,” said Gordon.

“And get out of the cold,” added O’Hara.

 

DCEU

 

Dick sat at the kitchen table looking at his itinerary for the next few days. In the morning he was calling Barbara to tell her that he had to go to Bludhaven for a couple days on business. Next, he’d take a private jet to Bludhaven, meet with Wayne Tech representatives, and then with the mayor. That night he’ do a patrol as Nightwing in order to check up on his city. Next, day more Wayne Tech business and, if possible, take private plane home that evening.

Alfred served Dick a hearty bowl of minestrone soup. Dick put down his tablet, picked up a soup spoon, and sampled his late dinner.

“I’m going to miss your food, Alfred,” he said.

“Maybe you should get a butler, Master Dick?” smiled Alfred.

“Do you have any relatives who need a job?” asked Dick with a smirk.

“Very funny,” Alfred replied. “Is Master Damian coming with you?”

“No. Let him stay here train and gather some intelligence in the computer,” said Dick.

Dick’s smart phone started ringing. He took it out of his pocket and looked to see who was calling. It said Birds of Prey. This brought a smile to his face.

“Hello,” he answered.

“Helen bet that you would answer the phone with your Batman voice,” said Barbara.

“Nope. I was going to call you in the morning,” he said.

“Why?” she asked.

“I’m going to Bludhaven for a few days. I wanted to let you know. Commissioner Gordon already knows,” Dick told her.

“Why?” she asked.

“Business. Wayne Tech business,” Dick told her.

He heard a voice in the background. Barbara muted the phone for a moment then she spoke.

“Do you mind giving one of us a ride to Bludhaven?” she asked.

“Who and why?” asked Dick.

“Dinah and because she thinks that the meta fight club has moved to there. She wants to check it out,” Barbara.

“Tell her to meet me at nine a.m. at Gotham Private Airport,” Dick said. “She can stay at the Forsyth Building where I am staying.”

“Thanks, Dick,” said Barbara.

“Did you think I’d say no?” he asked her.

“I know you’d say yes. Do me a favor…” she started to ask.

“I’ll check up on her. Bludhaven is my city,” he said then hung.

 

DCEU

 

At the private airport waiting for Dick Grayson and his guest was a Gulfstream G-650. It was Bruce’s personal private jet, other than the Batwing. Wayne Enterprises had four private jets, but this one was Bruce’s personal one. Dick parked his Porsche then he got out of the car. He was wearing his black Armani suit with a blue linen shirt and a black trench coat. Opening the trunk of his car, he grabbed his garment bag and walked towards the jet.

As he headed for the jet, a Harley Davidson black CVO Street Glide zipped past him. She stopped near the private jet. Dick watched as a dark haired Dinah Lance took off her helmet, got off her bike and grabbed her overnight bag from her saddle bags. She was dressed in black jeans, a black leather jacket and white silk shirt.

Dick waved over an airport employee. The man came running over.

“The Porsche and bike belong in the Wayne Enterprises hangar,” he said. He took out of his pocket a money clip and peeled off a one hundred dollar bill. “Make sure they get into the hangar.”

“Yes, sir,” he said.

Dinah tossed the guy her helmet and fell into line walking beside Dick.

“Aren’t we the bigshot?” she teased.

“That’s not the bike you use at night,” he said.

“I ride a Ninja at night. Handles at high speeds better,” she said.

They walked up the stairs and entered the Gulfstream. Bruce had it redesigned inside taking out most of the seats and replacing them with sofa and four reclining seats. Dick and Dinah handed their bag to the flight attendant took their bag in order to put them away.

“Mr. Grayson, there is a call waiting for you from Lucius Fox. You can call him once we take off and the pilot gives the okay,” she told him.

“Thank you,” he smiled.

Dick and Dinah sat down in the reclining seat, though neither one of them reclined.

“This is the pilot. We will be taking off in fifteen minutes. Once we reached cruising altitude, any calls that need to be made can be made,” the pilot announced.

Twenty minutes later Dick was on his smart phone to Lucius Fox.

“I have a new company car ready for you. Do you wish me to drop it off at the Wayne Estate?” Lucius asked.

“Please, do that,” answered Dick. “My smart phone is giving trouble. I’ll call you back.”

This meant he was going to call back after he encrypted his phone. Lucius would do the same. Dick called him back.

“You afraid of ears, Lucius?” asked Dick.

“I think some of the board members, mainly Elizabeth Banning, have decided this would be a way to reign you in,” said Lucius.

“Start the process to remove Banning and whoever is supporting her,” said Dick. “I’ll back you all the way.”

“I’ll get our lawyers on it,” Lucius said. Dick could tell that he had made the CEO very happy.

“If you need me then give me a call,” Dick said then he hung up.

Dick put his smart phone away. Next, he leaned back in his chair. The flight attendant came over to him.

“May I get you something to drink?” she asked.

“Coffee, half and half, and three sugars,” he said.

She then looked over at Dinah.

“And something for you?” she asked.

“Do you have green tea?” she asked.

“Yes, we do,” she answered.

“Green tea with honey, please,” she said.

“I’ll be back with your drinks.”

Once she disappeared to make the drinks, Dinah spoke up.

“How much sleep do you get?” she asked Dick.

“It depends. On average I’d say three, sometimes four hours,” he told her.

“You need more sleep. Five or six hours,” she told him. “You have to let your body repair and mind rest.”

“Three or four is enough for me,” he smiled. “Oh, when we land there will be a car waiting for you to take you to the Forsyth Building. We’ll be sharing the penthouse. If you needed anything like food or whatever just call the concierge.”

“You travel even more first class than Oliver,” said Dinah.

“This is Bruce’s style. Since I’m acting as Chairman of the Board, I’m taking on his style. It’s not mine,” said Dick.

“You appear comfortable with it,” she noted.

“I’ve been around it for ten years,” he told her.

The attendant returned with their drinks. Dick took his and Dinah took hers.

“The pilot told me that we’ll be landing at Bludhaven Airport in forty minutes,” she told Dick.

“Thank you,” he smiled then sipped his coffee. The attendant left them alone.

“Is there a way for me to sneak in and out of this Forsyth Building as the Black Canary?” Dinah asked.

“I’ll show you,” he said. “My meetings won’t last long. Keep dinner free.”

“Really? Are you making a date with me?” asked Dinah with amusement.

“I’m asking you to dinner,” said Dick. “You know eat food maybe even have a discussion.”

“I’ll keep dinner open.”

 

DCEU

 

Dick’s meetings went well, though they went longer than he anticipated. The last meeting involving the mayor went long because of the mayor’s excitement. Not only was he willing to give Wayne Tech tax breaks, he wanted to give Dick the key to the city. Dick said yes to the tax breaks but no to the key to the city. Once Dick got into the limo, he took his smart phone out and called Dinah.

“Sorry for going so late. Are you hungry?” he asked her.

“Yes, I am,” she answered.

“I want to take you to a cop bar. It’s called Flynn’s. I know the owner. Meet me there. I’m already on the way,” Dick said.

“I’ll see you there.”

Dinah stood just inside the doorway looking for Dick when the door opened and he came up behind her. He touched her on the shoulder and she turned looking as if she was going to assault him.

“Come with me,” he said.

She followed him to an empty table in the corner. Dick waved at his former partner Officer Amy Rohrbach. They sat down and a waitress came over.

“Hi, Dick,” said the waitress.

She was in her early twenties, a dirty blonde.

“Donna. Is Phil here?” he asked her.

“I can tell him that you’re here,” she said.

“Thanks,” he smiled then he looked at Dinah. “Do you mind if I order for us?”

“Go ahead,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Two steak sandwiches with curly fries and two lagers on tap,” he ordered.

“Good seeing you, Dick,” she smiled and left.

“Admirer?” asked Dinah.

“I eat here a lot,” answered Dick. “Look Phil knows I’m Nightwing. He keeps his ears open and gathers intelligence for me. Maybe he’ll know about the meta fight club.”

“I hope so,” sighed Dinah.

“You appear to be pissed at me,” Dick smirked.

“Let’s say there is something about your attitude that is putting me in a bad mood,” she said.

Instead of responding, Dick smiled then he noticed Phil Flynn walking towards them carrying the lagers. He put them down in front of them then sat down.

“You’ve missed, kid,” said Phil.

“I’ve been in Gotham on family business,” Dick replied.

“The city is going to shit without you, not that it wasn’t already shit,” he remarked.

“I’ve been thinking of talking to someone about being a stand-in for me,” Dick told him.

“So, what can I do for you?” asked Phil.

“Is there a metahuman fight club in town?” asked Dick.

“Cops have been talking about it. They say it’s run by a woman named Roulette. She’s Asian with tattoos. The woman can calculate odds in her head better than any bookie in the world or odds maker in the world,” Phil stated.

“Cops know where she is running this club?” asked Dick.

“It moves around. I think the best place to look is at the docks in one of the warehouses,” Phil told him

Donna appeared with the steak sandwiches. Phil stood up and smiled.

“Enjoy your meal,” he said then left.

Dick grabbed the bottle of ketchup and put ketchup on his fries and sandwich. He handed the bottle to Dinah, who put it on both also. She took a bit of the sandwich and almost moaned with approval.

“Told you it was good,” said Dick.

“I need a bike for tonight.”

“After we eat I’ll take you to the warehouse where I live. It has my bikes there,” he told her. “You can borrow one.”

“Okay. Now shut up and let me eat,” she smiled.

Dicked laughed.

 

DCEU

 

Dick let Dinah take her pick of bikes then showed her the secret exit and entrance to his place for the vehicles. He changed into his Nightwing gear, got on his bike, and took off to check on his city. It didn’t take long for him to hear a police call with car under fire. Dick sped off and arrived before the police backup came.

The one behind the shooting was the Black Baron. He was making a move with Nigthwing gone. Dick found the sniper, disabled him, trussed him up, and then dangled him from a street light. With that done, he headed off looking for more faults that were developing in his city.

By one am he decided to check on the Black Canary. He activated the GPS in her bike and followed the coordinates to the docks. She was parked two blocks down from what should an abandoned warehouse. The heat vision in his riding helmet told him the place was full of people. Some of the heat signatures were so high he was sure they were metahumans.

Taking to the rooftops he made his way into the warehouse rafters and observed. A chain-link fence formed a ring for fighter. The warehouse was crowded with men and women watching the fights and betting. Dick noticed a woman set apart from the rest. She had four large guards, who he doubted were as tough as they thought they were. As for the woman she looked to have Chinese blood and she had a dragon tattoo on her back, which could be seen because of an open back dress, and Chinese script written down her right arm.

The current fight looked to be between a metahuman whose power was strength and a metahuman whose power was freakish agility. The one with agility also was an expert marital artist. As long as he stayed clear of the other man’s strength he was going to win. Five minutes later they were carrying the strong one out of the ring.

It was announced that the next fight would between twins who could communicate with each without speaking and a famous vigilante. The twins were brunette haired women and looked to be well trained fighters. The vigilante was Dinah. There was a collar around her throat stopping her from using her Canary Cry. The fight began.

The wins could coordinate their attacks with speaking, Dinah decided to be the aggressor. Blocking kicks and punches, she delivered a right hand to the ribs followed by a left to the gut that Wildcat would have applauded. The other sister grabbed Dinah’s hair, which was a mistake, as Dinah performed a twisting, jumping kick that landed hard on her jaw. The two sisters stared at each other for a moment communicating.

Roulette motioned to the MC, who then called over two men. The two men entered the ring now. It was four to one. Dick smiled. Under most circumstances Dinah would kick their ass, but the collar was holding back her sonic powers. Using his grappling gun, he lowered himself into the ring and landed beside Dinah. She turned and looked at him. Her expression went from fury to a flash of happiness which she covered up.

Dick took his Escrima sticks, which could be electrified, and used them to break the collar and free her power. Immediately, Dinah sent a hard long scream at the four of them. When the sound wave hit them, it sent them tumbling like tumble weeds. Dick laughed.

In her mind Roulette finished calculating the odds. She turned to her lead guard.

“Get the car ready. We are leaving Bludhaven,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Oh, and let all the fighters out and tell them they have to fight their way to safety,” Roulette ordered.

“Yes. Ma’am.”


	5. Chapter 5

Dick and Dinah got back to his warehouse apartment feeling battered and bruised. They had fought their way through Metahumans and humans alike. Working in tandem they managed to take on whatever came their way, but they also took damage. When Dick dropped from the rafters in his Nightwing gear, she was glad to have the company. Now she was impressed by how well they meshed. They parked the bikes.

Dick looked at Dinah and saw she as beat up as he was. They both needed some medical attention and relaxation.

“I have a jacuzzi for sore muscles. That’s after we check each other out for cuts, bruises, and such,” he said.

“Where’s your medical area?” she asked.

“Follow me,” he groaned as he slipped out of the top of his Nightwing suit and then let it fall so that it hung over his waist. Dinah noticed he had bruising around his right ribs, a good back and blue on his chest, and some bleeding from a knife wound on his left side.

They entered the medical area. Dick took out a large case which was filled with relative medical items. Dinah looked through the case and grabbed alcohol, stitch gun, and a bandage. She looked at Dick and then raised her eyebrow.

“You want me on the table?” he smirked.

“You’re so smart,” she replied.

He hopped up on the table and she took care of his wound.

“Do I get a lollipop with this?” he asked.

“I’m not answering you,” she replied and started to stitch him up. He only needed four stitches this time. Dinah placed a bandage over it.

“How about you?” he asked. “You have any wounds?”

She unzipped her jacket and took it off. Now she was in tight leather pants and a leather bodice standing between Dick’s legs.

“I’m just bruised,” she said.

“Like on your shoulder,” he said then he did something without thinking. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in close. Dinah didn’t resist him, as his lips kissed her bruised shoulder.

“Dick, do you know what you are doing?” she asked.

“Yeah, I do,” he exhaled and started to kiss her neck.

Dinah moaned as she started to remove her own bodice. Dick began to assist her. She placed her hand on his crotch then smiled, “Need to get undressed.”

“I agree,” he said, as mouth sought her mouth.

For the next few minutes the devoured each other’s mouths, while their tongues warred for dominance. Dinah broke off the kiss and pulled Dick off the table. Now he was standing, she started to undress quickly, as did he. Once naked, Dinah grabbed his erection and pulled him closer to her.

“I want you now and I want you later,” she said. “Do Understand?”

“I understand,” he smiled.

“Now fuck me,” she demanded.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied

What started on the first floor kept moving as the pair explored each other. After a several hours of incredible, physical sex, Dick woke up in his apartment’s bed with Dinah draped over him. They were both naked and Dick hadn’t a clue where their Nightwing and Black Canary uniforms were. He could smell her, though. which caused him to start to get excited. Dinah moaned then said, “Really, morning wood.”

“It’s your fault,” he responded.

“My fault. How?” she murmured as she started to kiss his chest.

“Instead of telling, why don’t I show?” Dick said then he moved her onto he back and started to kiss his way down her body. Stopping at her breasts he nibbled and sucked.

“Now I understand your old nickname of Boy Wonder,” Dinah joked then groaned.

He continued down until he was in between her thighs. After kissing her inner thighs, which sent a shiver down Dinah’s spine, he began licking and sucking her. Dinah squirmed until Dick started to suck on her clitoris causing Dinah almost to emit a Canary Cry. Dick stopped for a moment.

“Looks like I’m going to be late for my morning meeting,” he said.

“Shut up, Nightwing, and I’ll do the same for you later,” sighed Dinah.

“Nightwing? Haven’t we gone beyond code names?” he asked.

“You’re still wearing your mask,” she told him.

He chuckled then he ripped his mask off and smiled at her.

“Get back to work,” she ordered.

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

DCEU

 

Dick finished his meetings and the limo came to the Forsyth Building to pick him and Dinah. Because of his schedule they hadn’t spoken since they left his warehouse. In the back of the limo was their first chance. Dinah spoke first.

“I don’t need a relationship right now. I just got out of one with Ollie and I don’t need to fall into another one,” she stated.

“We don’t have to define what we have right now,” Dick countered.

“I’ll define it, Dick. It was great sex, amazing sex, and that’s all. We had one night. That’s all,” she told him.

“Dinah, I think we can be more than a one-night stand with each other,” Dick said. “We have some obstacles and differences, but I trust you. That’s a great foundation for something.”

“I’ll work with you, partner with you, but no more sex. It doesn’t happen again,” she said.

“Ollie really fucked things up with you, didn’t he?” said Dick.

“And you with Barbara or Kori or Donna… Do I need to continue?” she said.

“I admit that I don’t have a great track record with relationships, but I still believe it’s possible to have one in this business,” Dick said.

“Dick, someday maybe I’ll have the talk with you about how hard relationships are but you can’t give up, but right now I’m concentrating on putting all the bad behind me,” she stated. “Do we have to continue talk about this?”

“No, we don’t,” sighed Dick. “We don’t have to talk at all.”

The plane back to Gotham City was a silent ride. When they landed Dinah got on her Harley Davidson and sped away and Dick got into his Porsche and headed home to Wayne Manor. Parking his car in the garage, he entered the house to be surprised by Lucius visiting with Alfred in the kitchen. They were sitting at the table enjoying a cup of tea.

“Hey, Lucius, I meant to call you today,” said Dick.

“You gave me a reason to visit with Alfred,” said Lucius.

“There is coffee made if you want, Master Dick.,” said Alfred.

“Thanks.”

Dick poured himself a mug of coffee then he fixed it the way he liked. He leaned against the counter and waited for Lucius to speak.

“You’ll find another Batmobile in the Batcave. As I said it is part tank and part sports car, though it looks more like a sports car. It’s black with stealth ability and body armor that allows you to drive through a brick wall,” Lucius explained.

“Thank you,” said Dick.

“Also, everyone is thrilled with the basics of the deal you hammered out, so much so that a new board of directors will be an easy task now,” smiled Lucius.

“By the time I return to Bludhaven Wayne Tech will be almost ready to open its doors,” smiled Dick.

Lucius nodded in the affirmative. Alfred looked proudly on at Dick.

“Master Dick, you should somehow stay involved with Wayne Tech once you’re back in Bludhaven,” said Alfred.

“I agree,” added Lucius.

“Have you heard from Clark about Bruce?” I asked.

“We were just talking about that. Damian spoke to Bruce today and I spoke to Clark. So far, the medical procedures are taking, even though Bruce doesn’t have Kryptonian physiology,” said Alfred.

“Still on schedule to be back here rehabbing in almost three weeks?” Dick asked.

“Yes. I have equipment being delivered all this week and a physical therapist coming for an interview tomorrow,” said Alfred.

Dick sipped his coffee.

“Maybe I’ll go patrolling tonight and take Damian with me. Penguin needs to be taken care of and I have to check in with Commissioner Gordon,” said Dick.

“Be careful, Master Dick,” said Alfred.

“I’ll expect you tomorrow at Wayne Tower,” Lucius said.

“I’ll be there,” nodded Dick.

 

DCEU

 

Dinah headed for the Clock Tower after dropping her things off and changing into her Canary clothes. When she arrived there, Barbara was there with her cowl down, Helen had her mask off, and Selina had her head gear off. They were sitting around drinking tea and talking.

“Hen party?” asked Dinah.

“No, just catching up. I heard that Bruce is doing well. Alfred says that he expects him home on schedule but after that all bets are off. Dick may not have to be Batman as long as he thought,” said Barbara.

“He’s performing better than I thought he would,” said Helen. “Nightwing is a solo act. Yeah, he partners up, even was the leader of the Titans, but he worked best flying high and doing his thing. As Batman he’s become the patient collector of evidence and intelligence. It’s as if he was born to be Batman.”

“He was raised by him,” said Selina. “Bruce and Dick are more alike than you think. Dick has more of sense of humor and I think he’s a bit more romantic.”

“Bruce isn’t romantic?” smiled Barbara.

“He is in his way. He bought by cat Isis a collar with a diamond,” purred Selina. “I miss him.”

“How’d it go in Bludhaven?” asked Helen.

“The Meta Fight Club has moved on. Nightwing and I broke it up,” she said. “Unfortunately. Roulette got away so it’ll be back someday.”

Dinah walked over to where the tea was and made herself a cup.

“I wonder which one of them is better in bed?” smirked Helen.

“Which one of who?” asked Dinah.

“Dick or Bruce?” said Helen.

Dinah noticed that Barbara blushed. The red haired young woman knew Richard Grayson very well. Selina noticed the blush and laughed.

“I’ll tell you if you tell me,” she said to Barbara.

“Okay. But no intimate details,” she said. “Dick is attentive, patient, athletic, playful, and his stamina is impressive.”

“Patient, athletic, strong, quiet, and his stamina is impressive,” Selina listed Bruce’s attributes.

“Also, Dick enjoys exploring the whole body,” said Barbara then she blushed again.

Dinah turned away from the three women for a moment, as she felt herself become flushed. He had explored her body and enjoyed every moment of it. She enjoyed, too. Dinah had several lovers and a husband, who was a man of action. Kurt Lance was the leader of Amanda Wallers Team 7, which she was part of. They were inseparable for two years, married after one, and then she was widowed. She loved Kurt, but she had to admit that what she experienced with Dick was amazing.

“How about Ollie, Dinah?” asked Barbara.

She turned back around and looked at Barbara.

“How is he as a lover?” asked Barbara.

“Playful, fun, and, in the end, selfish. The right woman might be able to change him,” she answered.

“Never had Batman, but I did have a quickie with Nightwing,” smiled Helen. “Well, it wasn’t a quickie, but it was a one night stand. We did it on a rooftop in Bludhaven during a summer’s evening. Two hours later, he slipped into his gear, kissed, and said he still had a patrol to do. Yeah, he was memorable and good.”

“I did it on a rooftop with Bruce. Getting him out of that Batman suit is a pain in the ass,” smiled Selina. “Worth it, though.”

“Do you think we’ve had enough gossip? What is Penguin up to?” asked Dinah.

“He is backing a mayoral candidate. Well, he’s doing it as secretly as he can. He’s backing Jason Hand, a law and order candidate. I’ve started an intensive background check along with Oracle,” said Barbara.

“How is Gus doing?” asked Dinah.

“Happy as a lark working in the computer room following the money and researching Jason hand,” said Barbara. “I’m going to help him later.”

“This might be a way to upend Penguin without much pain and bloodshed,” said Selina.

“Oh, I like pain and bloodshed,” smiled Helen.

“You need therapy,” said Dinah.

“Maybe,” shrugged Helen.

“Someone should tell Dick about this,” said Barbara.

“Whichever one of us sees him next can tell him,” said Selina.

“Okay,” said Barbara.

“Dinah, you want to go out patrolling?” asked Helen.

“Let me finish my tea,” smiled Dinah.

 

DCEU

 

The Iceberg Lounge was the coolest hot spot in Gotham City. With a center island made of ice and surrounded by water, so that the penguins and seals could play, it drew crowds every night for its atmosphere, food, and entertainment. Dick made a reservation for a table and some Dom Perignon and Beluga Caviar along with blinis.

His guest was Alexandra DeWitt, a famous photographer who Wayne Enterprises wanted to hire to do a photo essay on Bludhaven and the changes Wayne Tech would make. Dick arrived at eight o’clock, dressed in a light grey three piece Tom Ford suit, light blue shirt, and dark blue silk tie. He also wore his black cashmere overcoat. The coat check girl took his overcoat then he was escorted to a nicely placed table by the hostess. His date was due at eight fifteen. A waiter showed up at the table and Dick told him he had pre-ordered Dom Perignon and Beluga Caviar. He asked for it to be brought to him in half hour. Until then he ordered a single malt scotch.

Dick listened to the music playing and watched the penguins and seals play. He had to admit that Oswald had a nice place. Too bad it wasn’t enough for him. His scotch came and Dick sipped it. In his right ear he had an earpiece that couldn’t be seen or heard but allowed him to hear whatever Alfred or Damian had to say to him.

“Master Dick, make sure that they serve sour cream, diced hard boiled eggs, and diced onions with the caviar,” Alfred told him.

Dick smiled. Alfred was always making sure that things were perfect.

“Mr. Grayson,” a voice disturbed his thoughts. He looked up and it was his guest.

“Miss DeWitt, please sit down,” he said.

She sat across from him. Alexandra De Witt was an attractive blonde haired woman. Dick wasn’t surprised by this, as he had seen a photograph of her. In person, though, she appeared to be more animated, as she sat across of him and her eyes and head tried to take in everything in the room.

“Miss De Witt, Wayne Enterprises has a proposition for you,” he started.

“I assumed as much,” she smiled finally focusing in on him.

“We want to offer you a contract for the next six months. This contract will be for Wayne Tech in Bludhaven. We want you to document Wayne Tech’s effect on Bludhaven, how it changes the city, and what it offers the city. For this we will give you an apartment in the Forsyth Building, plus you will be paid a salary and benefits. Your photographs will be used for marketing material, PR material, business, and as a document that a company can do some good for a city that is in need. Also, if you wish to film some of this rather than photograph, Wayne Tech will assist you in finding media outlets for the material, even supporting a documentary. Are you interested?” he asked her.

She sat there for a few moments then finally she said, “Wow. I expect a little marketing work. You said this will be all in a contract?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“Do I have artistic control?” she asked.

“Yes. That will be in the contract also,” he smiled. “Are you interested?”

“Of course, I am, Mr. Grayson,” she said.

“Call me Dick. May I call you Alex?” he asked.

“Please do,” she said.

The waiter arrived almost if called. He carried the Dom Perignon in a bucket surrounded by ice along with two champagne flutes. Also, another waiter carried a tray with a large can of Beluga caviar in the middle surrounded by blinis and toppings and two small pearl spoons. The tray was placed in the middle of the table, while the other waitress popped the cork of the champagne bottle and poured two glasses. Dick took his wallet out from his inside jacket pocket, took out two fifties, and gave each waiter a fifty. They thanked him and left.

“I thought we’d celebrate your contract,” he said.

“You are sure of yourself,” she countered.

“I was sure of our offer, Alex,” he smiled.

He raised the flute and toasted, “To success.”

“Success,” she repeated and tried the champagne.

Dick took a blini first. He wanted her to feel at ease. Picking up a pearl spoon, he put caviar on the blini, then he put some sour cream, a little onion, and a small amount of diced hard boiled egg. He then popped it in his mouth and moaned in approval.

“I’ve never had Beluga Caviar,” she said.

“You will not want any other after trying it,” he said.

She prepared some caviar for herself and ate it. A moan of approval came from her, also.

“Ah, Mr. Grayson. Oswald Cobblepot,” Penguin introduced himself as he approached the table.

He offered Dick his hand and Dick shook. Part of Dick wanted to then bend his arm back behind his back and cuff him as he had done in the past. Penguin stood five foot six inches, no taller. He was more muscle than fat but you wouldn’t believe it, and he wore a formal English style tuxedo with white vest, white shirt, and white bow tie.

“You are celebrating something?” he asked.

“Yes, Mr. Cobblepot, we are. We are celebrating Wayne Tech opening a branch in Bludhaven,” he said.

“Bludhaven. I’ve often thought about opening an Iceberg Lounge in Bludhaven,” he said. “How do you think it would do?”

“There is nothing in Bludhaven like the Iceberg Lounge, Mr. Cobblepot. I believe it would become a hot spot, a place to be seen,” said Dick.

“Sounds promising. I must look into it,” he said. “Enjoy your evening.”

“And you enjoy yours,” said Dick.

“It has been a pleasure meeting you, Grayson,” smiled the Penguin then he left to talk to other guests.

“He’s a strange little man,” said Alexandra.

“Oh, he is.”

“Do you think he’ll open a place in Bludhaven?” she asked.

“I doubt it,” smiled Dick.

 

****

 

Dick raced in the new Batmobile to the warehouse section of Gotham City. The Birds of Prey were in trouble as they came up against the Joker and Harley Quinn and their gang. Damian sat silently in the passenger seat, as they sped to their destination. The Joker may be insane but he was also Batman’s most dangerous foe.

Crashing through the warehouse wall, Dick stopped the Batmobile as Black Canary, Huntress, Batgirl, and Lady Shiva defended a prone Catwoman, who was hurt. Joker watched from a purple throne as his people attacked. Dick pulled up behind the Birds of Prey. He got out of the Batmobile, picked up Catwoman, and placed her in the driver’s seat. Dick looked at Damian.

“Take her to the Batcave and have Alfred take care of her,” he growled.

Damian pressed a button and a staring wheel and peddles appeared on his side. He nodded then shut up the Batmobile and took off.

“I thought we were watching _Office and Gentleman_ for a minute there,” Joker laughed.

“Why don’t we change the channel and watch _Richard III_?” growled Dick.

“Not funny, Batman. Kill him,” called out Joker. 

“Welcome to the fight, Batman,” said Batgirl.

“Hey, Batman, have you lost weight?” Harley called out.

“Gluten free diet,” he growled. “I guess I need more protein.”

With that Dick took several pellets out of his utility belt and tossed them that the coming gang. They disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Dick then took out his compressed staff and extended it. Rushing into the smoke cloud, he started to dismantle those who came at him.

Black Canary, Huntress, Lady Shiva, and Batgirl held back for a few minutes. Once the cloud of smoke started to dissipate they rushed in to see Dick had taken out five of Joker’s thugs. Harley and Dick were squaring off.

“Let’s clean up,” Batgirl called out.

The remaining gang members found themselves getting their asses kicked by the Birds of Prey. Joker saw this and shook his head in disgust. He stood up and walked into a shadowy part of the warehouse, while Harley tried to club Batman with a large mallet.

Dick blocked the mallet with his staff, but the mallet broke the staff into two pieces, which he then used as Escrima sticks.

“I don’t know, Batman, but you’ve changed. I can’t put my mallet on it but there is something different about you,” Harley stated.

“Maybe you’d like to discuss it,” Dick growled.

“See, that sounded almost like a quip. Batman doesn’t quip,” she said.

“Quip your complaining,” he retorted.

“Hey, that’s a pun,” she said and swung her mallet wildly.

Dick noticed that she swung so wildly that she was about hit the Black Canary in the back, so Dick threw his body in the way of the mallet taking a hit in the chest. It sent him rolling on the ground. Dinah noticed this and turned and used the Canary Cry on Harley, who was blown back hard into a wall. She slid down the wall and went to black.

The rest of Joker’s gang took off, or the ones who could took off. Batgirl rushed over to Dick. He was out cold.

She took his pulse then said, “Pulse is good.”

“That was a helluva hit. I think it would have broken your back, Dinah,” said Helen.

“I need to get him to the Batcave,” said Batgirl.

“I’ll help you,” said Dinah.

“Everyone else, go back to the Clock Tower,” ordered Batgirl.

Lady Shiva and Huntress nodded, as Batgirl and Black Canary picked up Dick and up him in Barbara’s sidecar. Alfred would take care of him.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Dick woke to the feeling that his chest had been crushed, but he knew better. Because of exposure to similar chemicals as the Joker was exposed to, Harley had been made into a metahuman. She now carried a helluva a wallop, but even his Batman suit was designed to deal with some of the kinetic energy of the hit. But damn it, if it didn’t hurt.

He moved the blanket and looked at his chest to see a giant black, purple, and blue bruise in the middle of it. Looking over at the night table he saw a bottle of Advil and a pitcher of water waiting for his use. Gently, he sat up, poured a glass of water, took three Advil out of the bottle, then he downed the pills with the water. He then poured himself another glass and drank it down.

Alfred entered the room. He looked at Dick and shook his head, as if to say how can I keep you healthy.

“Thanks for the Advil and water,” he said. “I take it that I have no permanent damage.”

“A very bad bruise and probably a great deal of pain,” Alfred stated.

“Yeah, that would sum it up,” grinned Dick.

“Miss Barbara and Miss Dinah are both still here. They stayed the night in guest bedrooms.  They both wish to know if they can visit with you,” said Alfred.

Dick looked at Alfred and yawned. He really wasn’t in the mood to see Dinah or Barbara, especially Dinah. He brush off hurt, even though he understood it. And now he was bruised and in pain because of protecting Dinah. No, he didn’t want to see either one of them. 

“Alfred, I hurt and I’m tired. Can you tell them I’ll see them tonight when I patrol?” he asked.

“I shall, though I think it would be better if you saw them,” he said.

“How is Selina?” Dick asked.

“Broken tibia and two cracked ribs,” he told him. “She is resting in the guest bedroom next to Master Bruce’s suite.”

“Are you having a doctor come out to see her?” asked Dick.

“Dr. Fields is coming by,” Alfred stated.

“Alfred, she is a pathologist. I mean she is one of Gotham’s best coroners,” Dick said.

“She is also a doctor and has treated alive patients,” countered Alfred.

“Okay,” sighed Dick. “I need another two or three hours of sleep then food, some training, and get ready for tonight. I have a meeting with Commissioner Gordon.”

“Understood, Master Dick,” Alfred said then he exited the bedroom.

Dick laid back in the bed. He was glad to avoid Dinah’s glare and Barbara’s curiosity. A yawn cracked his mouth. He closed his eyes and hoped that when he woke up his chest hurt less.

 

DCEU

 

“He’s avoiding us. I know Dick and he’s is avoiding us for some reason,” said Barbara. “I want to know why.”

Dinah sat down on the leather couch in the Clock Tower. She had a feeling why but she wasn’t going to share.

“Dick usually avoids like this when he’s either been hurt by someone or he’s angry with someone. He’s learned to avoid people rather than end up confronting because he gets into fights when he confronts. I’ve seen him and Bruce come to blows,” said Barbara.

“Maybe he’s just tired and in pain,” sighed Dinah wishing Barbara would get off this subject.

“Nope. He’s is something else about Richard Grayson,” she said. “He has amazing stamina.”

Dinah coughed to hide a chuckle. She knew about his stamina and was impressed by it.

“Also, because of growing up a trapeze artist, he can ignore pain even better than Bruce. He was born to ignore it,” she said.

“Barbara, if you’re bothered so much then just talk to him,” said Dinah.

The red haired vigilante looked over at Dinah and smiled.

“I think I will,” she said.

Barbara exited the room leaving Dinah alone in the den area. Dinah closed her eyes in frustration and sighed. She didn’t regret having sex with Dick, but the unintended consequences were growing. Maybe she should talk to him, or fuck him, she sighed.

“Stop it, Dinah, you have to forget about him. Think of him as Nightwing and Nightwing only,” she said to herself.

Barbara returned to the den dressed in civilian clothes. She smiled at Dinah.

“I know that Dick and my father have a meeting scheduled tonight. Afterwards, I am going to track him down and talk to him, not as Batgirl but as his friend Barbara Gordon,” she said. “I’ll find out what’s bothering Dick.”

 

DCEU

 

Dick parked the Batmobile in a public alley a few blocks from police headquarters. He took to the rooftops and landed on the police roof five minutes later. Commissioner Gordon was about to have an officer turn on the Bat Signal. Dick smiled.

“That won’t be necessary, Commissioner,” Dick said with the mic in the cowl making him sound like an even gruffer Batman.

“Officer, you can leave us,” ordered Gordon.

“Yes, sir,” said the officer and he walked back to the root entrance and went back into the building.

Gordon tightened the trench coat around him. It was cold out.

“You have anything on Penguin?” he asked.

“Cobblepot is backing Jason hand for mayor,” Dick told him. He reached into his utility belt and took out all the financial information on Jason Hand that Damian could hack. Dick had to admit that Damian had as much talent as Tim at hacking. He tossed him the thumb drive. “Hand is corrupt and you know that Cobblepot is, too. This should get an investigation started, maybe even a leak or two to the media to get them started, too.”

Gordon looked at the thumb drive in his hand and shook his head. Batman was giving him more intelligence lately. Either, he was trusting the police more to do their work, or Nightwing trusted the police more. He wasn’t sure which it was.

“We’ll use this well,” said Gordon.

“I know, Jim. I trust you,” said Dick.

“You make a good Batman,” smiled Gordon.

“I make an even better Nightwing,” smiled Dick.

“Well, I like you in this suit,” said Gordon.

Dick took out his grapple gun and walked to the edge of the building.

“I should be going,” he said.

“Be careful,” Gordon said to him.

Dick turned and looked at Gordon and nodded then he fell backwards from the building causing Jim Gordon to close his eyes in worry. As Dick fell until he twisted his body and fired the grappling gun then he swung over to another building. From there he ran across several buildings jumping from one to the other when necessary until he stopped above the public alley way with the Batmobile in it. A few homeless people were now looked at his car. Dick jumped off the building and used his cape to slow his descent until he landed on the roof of the Batmobile.

“Hi,” he said to the homeless, who stepped back in fear.

He did a black flip off the roof and landed on his feet then he opened the Batmobile with a control on his left wrist and got into the vehicle. Taking off he avoiding hurting anyone. From another rooftop, the Black Canary had watched him. She was out on patrol looking to blow off steam. Now she needed to go somewhere and have a drink. She wondered if she contacted Helen if she’d be interested in a drink.

 

DCEU

 

Dick sat in Batman’s favorite diner in his favorite booth sipping a mug of coffee and waiting for a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns, and sausages with toast. He was hungry and no one bothered him at this diner, which was so close to Crime Alley. Every month an anonymous money order for five hundred dollars was brought by a courier from an anonymous client to pay for his meals and tips. The owners had no complaint, especially since Batman stopped a couple of robberies when he was there.

As Dick sipped his coffee, Barbara walked into the dinner, squinted until she found him since his booth was in a purposefully dark corner, and joined Dick. The waitress came immediately over.

“She’s with the police,” he said.

“I’ll have a coffee and bagel with cream cheese,” she said.

The waitress left. A moment later she returned with Dick’s breakfast and Barbara’s coffee.

“Thank you,” he said.

She asked, “You want a refill?”

“No yet,” he smiled.

She left. Barbara fixed her coffee and took a sip.

“Not bad,” she said.

“Bruce bought them their coffee machine. He likes good coffee,” said Dick.

“Smart move,” she said. “Okay, Dick, what’s wrong with you? You’ve been avoiding the Birds of Prey. I know you too well not to see that something is wrong. Are you angry at us or are you upset with us?”

“Just trying to be Batman,” he said. “It isn’t as easy as you think.”

“I know, but you’re good at it. You’re better than I thought you’d be. Damian seems to be doing better under you,” she said.

“Bruce will be back in two days. He’ll start rehabbing and you know he’ll work his ass off to get back to being Batman then I’ll start getting ready to be Nightwing again,” he told her.

The bagel came along with the waitress with a coffee pot in her left hand. She freshened both their coffees and left. Dick added half and half and sugar to his coffee then he went back to eating his meal.

“By the time you leave you’ll have taken care of Penguin and crippled Joker,” she said. “Rumor on the street is that with Harley Quinn back in Arkham, the Joker is thinking of turning himself in to Arkham for a vacation. He misses her.”

“She doesn’t always miss him. Getting her away from Joker for an extended time would be good for her. She’d probably be better off in another asylum,” he pointed out.

“Just as long as they are put away,” stated Barbara.

“They’ll be others,” said Dick sounding too much like Bruce for Barbara’s taste this time.

“Wow, you do a great Bruce imitation,” she said.

“Do I?” he asked as he finished his breakfast. “He seems to have finally settle on Selina. I think he honestly loves her and she loves him.”

“Yeah, I think he has settled on her and they do love each other. I’m happy for him. Are you having women trouble now that you are Richard Grayson, Board of Director?” she asked him.

“I try not to be Bruce but even when he found someone he could love, he had trouble holding on to them. The mission got in the way. Or Batman in general got in the way,” he told her. “Nightwing has his own set of problems.”

“Yeah, he’s sexier than Batman,” she smirked.

“I’m alone in Bludhaven. It’s good for me. I’m the only vigilante in town, though that will change eventually, especially with Wayne Tech coming to town. I think Selina being Catwoman helps her relationship with Bruce,” he told her.

“It didn’t help your relationship with Kori, Donna, me, or several other hero vigilantes,” smiled Barbara. “Helen said she had a one night stand with you. Is that true?”

“We didn’t stand very much,” he smiled.

That was the old Dick who Barbara knew. She laughed.

“Oh, I forgot that there was M’Gann, Zatanna, Yolanda Montez, and Daphne Pennyworth, who I believe is MI-6 or 5 now, and others,” added Barbara.

“You’re point?” Dick asked.

“You’ve been dating since you were sixteen, Dick,” she whispered. “Your main example for relationships has been Bruce. He is not the best mentor or example. Cut yourself some slack. You’re learning to be a human being, but you’re not there yet. Bruce is just starting to get there, too.”

“I’m learning to be a human being, huh? Learning?” he smirked.

“But you are learning,” she smiled sweetly.

“You’re my best friend, Babs,” he smiled.

“Am I?” she asked.

“Yeah, you are. And you are the only woman who broke it off with me before I could break it off with them because of my ghosts and insecurities,” he pointed out.

“We all make mistakes,” she sighed.

“Eat your bagel and drink your coffee. I’ll keep you company,” he said.

She took a bit, chewed, and swallowed. Just then it occurred to her that Dick might be hung up on someone. But who?

“Dick, are you pining for someone?” she asked.

He smiled then said, “Babs, I am always pining for someone.”

“Deflecting,” she said.

“I was taught by an expert,” he chuckled.

“Who also taught us how to investigate and expose secrets,” said Barbara.

Dick shrugged then picked up his coffee mug and took a sip.

 

DCEU

 

Alfred was nervous. Master Bruce was coming home today. He wanted to have a celebration, but Damian, more than Dick, convinced him to keep it small, so only Selina, Barbara, Dinah, Tim, and Jason were invited. It was kept small.

Dick was spending the day at Wayne Tower. He and Lucius had to close the Wayne Tech deal and also pick new board members. After their business was completed both men were headed to Wayne Manor for Bruce’s return home. Dick was in his office reading through the agreements with Bludhaven over taxes, when his assistant Sarah Lang entered his office. He looked up to see she was carrying a large coffee for him.

“Thank you,” he said as he took the coffee from her.

She sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

“I thought you might need a caffeine fix,” she said.

“I can always use a caffeine fix,” he smiles. “Now, how can I help you?”

“Well, Mr. Grayson,” she started.

“Sarah, call me Dick,” he said.

“Dick,” she smiled. “I was hoping to get a position at Wayne Tech in Bludhaven. I believe there is going to be R&D done there as well some manufacturing. I think there will be opportunities.”

“You don’t want to be a personal assistant for the rest of your life,” he stated then smiled.

“No, I really don’t want to be an administrative assistant my whole life,” she said.

“I think I have and idea. You might like and you might not like it,” he said.

“What’s the idea?” she asked.

“I’d like to talk to Lucius and make you liaison between Wayne Tech and Wayne Enterprises Headquarters. You’ll have to keep abreast of special projects going on as well as manufacturing,” he offered.

“Mr. Grayson… I mean, Dick, thank you for this opportunity,” she said.

“Eventually, I’ll be back living in Bludhaven and I may take a position with Wayne Tech, so we’ll get to work with each other again,” he said.

“I’d love that,” she replied then blushed.

Dick smiled.

“Now, let me finish up reading all this and then I’ll be talking to Lucius later,” he said.

She stood up and said, “Thank you, Dick.”

Sarah Lang left. Dick took a sip of his coffee and then he went back to reading the papers.

 

DCEU

 

Clark had arranged to have a handicapped capable van left a few miles from Wayne Manor along with a wheelchair for Bruce. He landed as Superman, put Bruce, who was dressed in causal clothes provided by Alfred, in the wheelchair, and then helped Bruce into the van. Finally, he changed into Clark Kent, got into the van, and started it up.

“Ready to go home?” Clark asked.

“I enjoyed the fortress but Wayne Manor is home,” said Bruce.

Clark smiled.

“The nanobots will dissolve once they have finished repairing what needs to be repaired, including arthritis. Your rehabbing won’t interfere with their work,” Clark stated.

“Thank you, Clark,” Bruce said solemnly.

“Bruce, you know you’re like a brother to me. Anyway, for three weeks we got to get to know each other even better,” said Clark.

“Always being positive, Smallville,” grinned Bruce.

“I hope Alfred made finger foods and such. I’m hungry,” said Clark.

“You’re always hungry, Kent. For someone who needs only solar radiation to survive, you eat a great deal of food,” Bruce teased.

“Hey, it’s from growing up the son of Ma Kent,” he smiled.

“She does make great food,” agreed Bruce.

“Should I tell Alfred that?” Clark teased.

“Alfred is perfect for me,” said Bruce.

 

DCEU

 

The doorbell rang and Alfred opened the door to see Bruce in his wheelchair and Clark standing behind him.

“Master Bruce, welcome home,” he said then he looked at Clark and added. “And thank you for bringing him, Clark.”

“My pleasure, Alfred,” said Clark.

Bruce moved his wheelchair forward with his controls and found Tim, Jason, Damian, Dinah, Selina, and Barbara waiting for him. He looked at them and did something they weren’t used to seeing from him – he smiled.

“Good to see you, old man,” said Jason.

“Missed you, Bruce,” added Tim.

“I’m glad you home, Father,” Damian said and Bruce nodded.

“The Birds of Prey, not all of them, but most, greet you,” said Selina.

“Yes, the cat in the Birds of Prey,” smiled Barbara.

“In the living room, I have set up food and drink,” stated Alfred.

“I’m starved,” said Clark as he walked past Bruce and into the living room. The boys followed him, except Damian, who stood protectively by his father’s side.

“Where’s Dick?” asked Bruce.

“He and Lucius are on their way. He’s been busy at Wayne Enterprises,” stated Alfred.

“I heard. We have a second headquarters for Wayne Tech in Bludhaven and new board members,” grinned Bruce. “Board members that will be easier to handle.”

“And he’s been Batman at night, Father. He’s done well,” said Damian.

“And you’ve been his Robin. How has that been?” asked Bruce.

“Different from you. He allowed me more room to operate and less. It took some time to get used to,” said Damian.

“I look forward to reading the reports,” said Bruce.

“Hey, big man, let’s get a drink and nosh,” purred Selina.

“Agreed,” he said.

The rest of them followed Bruce into the living room. Fifteen minutes later, Dick let himself and Lucius into the home. They heard the noises of conversation and laughter coming from the living room and after getting rid of their overcoats joined everyone.

“Lucius, Dick, good to see you,” Bruce said then he rode himself over to them.

“Bruce,” Lucius smiled and walked up to him and shook his hand.

“Your gym is filled with the latest equipment that you need thanks to Wayne Enterprises,” he said.

“I look forward to using them,” Bruce replied then he looked past Lucius at Dick.

“Dick,” Bruce said.

Lucius moved aside. Dick moved towards Bruce, offered him his hand, and Bruce shook it.

“I heard that you are doing great as Batman and Chairman of the Board,” Bruce grinned. “Which position do you want to keep?”

“I only holding your place, Bruce. They belong to you,” Dick said.

“I think they’ll be yours again, Dick,” smiled Bruce.

“Hey, Bro,” Tim called to Dick, “I need to talk to you when you get a chance.”

“Sure,” nodded Dick.

“Well, I want something to eat,” said Bruce.

“Let me get you a plate,” offered Selina.

Dick walked over to Tim, who offered him a cold beer. He took a long swig then he looked at another of Bruce’s adopted sons.

“How’s the Titans going?” he asked.

“Being their leader is a lot of work, which is why I wanted to talk to you,” he said. “I was thinking of opening a satellite of the Titans in Bludhaven. It would be more of a place for training for new members or returning members. What do you think?”

“Why Bludhaven?”

“Because it will give me excuse to visit a lot, because you are there, and because Bludhaven has a growing criminal element that will grow greater with Wayne Tech opening there,” he told him.

“Well, worth thinking about. Do you intend on buying a building or something?” Dick asked.

“A warehouse like you. And I’m buying it. I could use your guidance and advice,” said Tim.

Dick offered him a toast with his beer and Tom clinked his beer with his. They both took swigs.

“Hey, where are the meatballs?” asked Jason.

“Oh, they are in the kitchen,” said Alfred, who was talking to Lucius. “I’ll get them.”

“No, Alfred, I’ll get them,” said Dick and he walked away.

Going down the hallway, he entered the kitchen and saw a big pot on top of the stove. On the kitchen table was a basket of small rolls to make meatball sliders. Dick went over to the cabinet and grabbed a large bowl to fill up with meatballs. He then got a spoon and started to spoon meatballs and sauce into the bowl. Once he was done he placed it down besides the rolls.

“Smells delicious,” said Dinah, as she entered.

Dick looked up at her.

“Dinah,” he said. “Try one.”

She grabbed a roll then spooned a meatball between it and took a bite. She moaned with pleasure, which brought a smile to Dick’s face. 

“I’ve heard that sound before,” Dick remarked.

Dinah looked at him and replied, “Yeah, you have.”

“Like the meatballs better, huh?” he said.

Dinah walked over to him and kissed him hard on the mouth. Soon his tongue was searching for hers and then were making out on the kitchen. Dinah was the one to stop first. She looked at the kitchen table.

“I’ll carry the rolls,” she said then picked them and headed out of the kitchen.

Not sure what that was, Dick picked up the meatballs with the spoon in the bowl and followed her back to the living room. He noticed as he entered that Clark had a smirk on his face when he looked at Dinah and him. X-Ray vision and super hearing. Dick wanted to disappear.

After putting down the meatballs, he walked over to Clark. Before he could speak Clark said, “What happens in Wayne Manor, stays in Wayne Manor, Dick.”

From a corner of the room, Barbara observed as she’d been taught by Bruce and her father. Dinah’s eyes were dilated and her skin was flushed, while Dick was flushed and looking slightly confused. Something happened between them in the kitchen. And she was going to find out by paying attention to them.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

Dick was starting to wonder why anyone, even a vampire like Niccolai Tepes, would choose Gotham Old City underground for a hiding place. It was dark and dank and filled with so many shadows that Dick was afraid he’d stake a shadow instead of the old vampire. Niccolai Tepes, also known as the Monk, had headed the Brotherhood as its cult leader for years, but, finally, time and Batman caught up with. When he knew that Batman had tracked him down, he took to the Old City underground.

“Twenty minutes ahead of you is a slight heat signature,” Bruce’s voice said in his air. “It’s not Tepes but one of his half vampires, who haven’t completed their change yet.”

“The vaccine should work on it, right?” asked Dick.

“It’ll work. Damian and I worked on it,” he said.

Dick reached behind his cape and took out a vaccination gun. It looked like a dart gun, but when this put a half vampire to sleep he or she woke up human. He continued down the dark and dank cave, walkway, or whatever city archeologist wanted to call it.

As he approached the slight heat signature, someone jumped out of the shadows. It was a ravenous female looking for blood to complete the change. Dick did a dive and roll and came up shooting the vaccine dart. It hit her in the throat. She dropped and fell immediately asleep.

“She’ll be out for six to eight hours,” said Bruce. “Police will find her after you get Tepes.”

“This Batsuit is going to need some serious cleaning,” growled Dick.

In the background, Dick could hear Damian chuckle. It lasted only a second, which meant that Bruce stopped it with a glare. There is a split into two different tunnels. One goes to an upper level and one to a lower level. The lower level has six slight heat signatures and more than likely Tepes. He is probably using them as guards.

Tunnel, thought Dick. That’s what he should have called it. Six half vampires. He stopped and checked his vaccination gun. It had three darts left in it. He took the other one out from its spot behind his back. This one had four vaccination darts in it. He was ready for six of them.

“Lower level it is,” he said. “Oh, call the police soon.”

“Why?” asked Bruce.

“I’ve left five half vampires vaccinated and we both know somewhere in this complex of tunnels and levels is a werewolf. Make sure they have silver bullets,” Dick stated.

“We developed a vaccine for the werewolf. I have the Black Canary and Batgirl on their way to you with it. They should be entering the tunnels now,” said Bruce.

“Then call the call for backup,” Dick said. “I don’t want anyone to slip past us until we are sure the vaccine works.”

“I’ll talk to Jim Gordon,” said Bruce. “I’ll be off line several minutes.”

“I miss you already,” mumbled Dick.

He came to the fork in the tunnels and took the one headed down to the lower level. As he continued he was surprised that things got brighter and brighter. He turned off the night vision in his cowl. When he exited the tunnel, Dick was shocked to see dozens and dozens of church candles lighting things up. The shadows were banished. Now there was two doors to choose from. One room would have six half vampires and Tepes and God knows what was in the other room.

Dick approached one of the doors and placed a listening device against the door, so he could hear what was in the room. He heard an animal growling. Dick had found the werewolf. The other door would have everyone else.

“I found the werewolf. He’s locked in a room,” said Dick.

“Don’t open the door until Back Canary and Batgirl get there,” Bruce said.

Dick rolled his eyes and shook his head. No, he was going to waste time wrestling the werewolf trying to avoid getting bit and being turned into one himself. Hell, he came from gypsy blood. He knew the legends well about werewolves and vampires. His mother wasn’t a believer, except in the Church, but his father believed. Now he was dressed as Batman hunting vampires and a werewolf. His life really was strange.

“I need a vacation,” he sighed.

“Maybe you can take the weekend off,” offered Bruce. “I can work with the Birds of Prey or have Tim visit for a few days.”

“Maybe,” Dick relied softly.

He walked up to the other door. With a vaccination gun in either hand, he readied himself. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his leg and kicked open the door.

“Knock, I’ve come for a visit,” he announced.

Immediately, he scanned the place. There were six half vampires, looking hungry, and Tepes sitting in a kind of throne chair. He smiled when he saw Dick.

“Company, gang. Eat him,” said Tepes.

“How rude,” Dick replied then he took aim and fired.

He’d taken two of the half vampires out when he started to have to use his acrobatics to avoid the rest. They were fast and agile, but they weren’t Richard Grayson, the youngest trapeze artist to do a quad. He was eight and considered a genius by those who understood what he was doing. The Flying Graysons became even more famous because of young Richard, or Dickie bird, as his mother called him.

He fired again and hit another in the forehead. They went down. All that left was three of them. Dick looked at them. They had a mix of fear and hunger in their faces. He smiled.

“I know I hate needles, too, but this one is good for you. It’ll take away your hunger,” he said to them.

Before they could move he shot two more and dodged the third. As the half vampire flew over him in a missed tackle, Dick shot him with a dart leaving one dart.

“What would happen if I shot Tepes with a dart?” Dick asked.

“It would cause him a great deal of pain as it tried to revert his body back to human,” answered Bruce.

“Goody,” said Dick.

He stood up and faced Tepes. The empty vaccination gun he dropped to the ground then transferred the one with one dart left to his right hand. He then reached in a sleeve in his cape and took a wooden stake made of blackthorn.

“I see you came to fight,” said Tepes. “I was hoping we could talk, maybe even come to some kind of understanding.”

“I have an idea,” said Dick, “you stop being a vampire.”

“That would mean my death and eternal damnation. I’m not sure I like that. How about I make you into a vampire?” he laughed.

“Wow, I do look good in black and dress like a bat,” said Dick.

“You are wasting time. Take him down,” ordered Bruce.

“Bat. You like Bats. Have you ever seen me turn into a bat?” asked Tepes.

“I don’t think I have,” said Dick.

“It is impressive,” said Tepes.

He stood up and started to slowly transform into a Bat. Dick used this moment to fire his last dart hitting him in the chest. This stop the transformation halfway between bat and man. He fell to his knees for a moment in pain then he struggled to get up on his feet.

“What have you done to me?” he demanded.

“Um, vaccinated you,” Dick said. “Vaccinations are important in civilized society.”

Moving faster than Dick was prepared for, Tepes flew, or more accurately dove, at him. Dick didn’t have many options so he fell backwards. As Tepes flew by him, a clawed hand ripped at the bat symbol on his chest. Body armor or not, synthetic material or not, the fingernails ripped through the material and across Dick’s skin. He grimaced but he didn’t call out in pain.

Once he was on his back, Dick rolled up into a handstand and then came down on his feet facing Tepes, who was still struggling with the pain. Dick held the stake in his right hand and waited for him to attack again. He decided to use a little subterfuge.

Dick bent over and groaned in pain. He allowed for his blood to drip to the ground. Tepes saw this and wanted food. It would cure all his problems. Dick looked up in time to see Tepes coming at him again, but this time instead falling onto his back, he stood up, moved to right as Tepes passed by, and then put his left arm around Tepes’ neck and mounted his back.

Once on top of him, he raised the stake above his head, approximated the position of Tepes heart through his back and drove the stake down and through. Both he and Tepes fell to the ground. Dick rolled away from him, as he went into death throes. Quickly, he body and blood began to decay until there was clothes and dust and nothing more left of Tepes.

“He’s gone,” Dick said.

“Are you okay?” Bruce asked.

“He ripped up my chest with his claws,” Dick said.

“You better get back here. We have to watch out for infection,” said Bruce.

Dinah and Barbara entered the chamber and saw the bodies on the ground then they both noticed a bloody Dick. Barbara started to run towards him, but he put u his right hand.

“In the chamber next door, there is a werewolf. He needs to be vaccinated and I believe the police are on their way,” said Dick.

“I’ll handle it,” said Dinah.

She left the chamber. Dick could hear a Canary Cry used to open the door then he heard another Canary Cry and assumed she used it to control the werewolf. Dinah came back into the chamber as Barbara took out a first aid kit and started to stop the bleeding.

“How is he?” Dinah asked with great concern.

Barbara noted this concern. Dinah’s usual persona in a jam was cool and calm. Wildcat told her that you can’t fight angry.

“Gotta get him out of her and to the Batcave. Someone wants to do blood tests for an infection,” said Barbara.

“Can you walk?” asked Dinah of Dick.

He looked at her and said, “I’m walking out of her and back to my Batmobile.”

He started to walk when he stumbled over nothing and had to work not to fall on his face. Dinah stared at him then rushed to his side and put her right arm around his waist. Dick draped his right arm over her shoulders and transferred some of his weight to her.

“Blood loss. It’s more than I thought,” he said.

“I’ll drive him in the Batmobile,” said Dinah.

“I’ll take care of everything else,” said Barbara.

“Come on,” said Dinah.

Dick whispered in her ear making sure his mic was off, “You’re beautiful when you’re bossy.”

“You’re a pain in my ass,” she said.

“I don’t remember we trying that,” he smirked and she blushed.

“In your dreams,” she said.

“It’ll be a good dream,” he replied then he went silent.    

 

DCEU

 

Dick sat on the medical table in the Batcave. The top half of his suit was removed. He’d taken off his utility belt and it was resting beside him. Damian sat at the computer station, while Bruce wheelchaired himself over to where Alfred worked on Dick’s chest. The cuts were deeper than anticipated, which caused the heavy bleeding.

“The medical computer is running tests on your blood,” Bruce said.

“I’m not going anywhere,” said Dick.

Watching from a distance was Dinah and Barbara. They were waiting on two things: to find out if Dick was okay and if the vaccine worked on the half vampires and werewolf. A source at the hospital would let them know about the werewolf and half vampires. They had to wait on the tests for Dick.

“The suit is ruined. You’ll need a new one,” stated Bruce.

“Yours are too big for me,” Dick said.

“I know. I had that one designed only with you in mind,” said Bruce.

“I’ll be fine, Bruce,” said Dick.

After stitches and an unguent Alfred started to wrap his chest. Dick though it was too much, but he wasn’t about to complain because he’d hear it from Alfred, Bruce, and whoever else was done there. He looked over and saw that Damian had tapped into police body cams and was watching them search the Old City underground. They were taking no chances of any half vampires or other creatures getting out.

“I shall prepare him another suit,” said Alfred. “Any suggestions?”

“I enjoy the classic look, Alfred. Black cape, cowl, gloves, and boots. Bat symbol black and the rest gray, except for the trunks. Black trunks,” said Dick.

“You like a cape that allows for a certain amount of para-sailing, don’t you?” said Alfred.

“It remembers me of being on the trapeze and flying. My father said I was the best flyer he’d ever seen. If someone could go ten feet across then I’d go fifteen. And it wasn’t my size, either. I just had a talent for staying in the air. Of course, this meant that I almost missed a catch or two. John Grayson, or Giovanni Grayson as the gypsies knew him, was the best catcher. He had such strong hands and arms and legs. My mother Mary was the eye candy, my father would say. All the really hard flying was done by me,” Dick told everyone. “Of course, they fell and I didn’t.”

Dick realized he was talking more than he wanted to talk and talking about things he didn’t talk about.

“Alfred, what did you give me?” he asked.

“I gave you a rather strong opioid for the pain, Master Dick. I should have warned you,” said Alfred.

“I don’t like talking about this, Alfred. Too many memories, too much pain,” he said softly.

Bruce could see that his stepson was in pain. He needed to help him.

“Your mother used to call you Dickie Bird because you stayed in the air so long. Do you remember that, Dick?” asked Bruce.

Dick looked at Bruce. Bruce was now thirty-one. He adopted him as a very young man.

“Yeah, I remember, Bruce,” he said.

“Remember the good things, son. Remember the joy you felt performing with them and the love you shared,” he said. “It will help you.”

“Thank you, Bruce,” said Dick then he went silent.

Both Barbara and Dinah wanted to cry but they didn’t. They respected both men too much. Barbara noticed that Damian wiped a tear from his eye. The kid was more sentimental then he let on. The medical computer beeped. Bruce wheeled over to it and checked the results.

“No infection,” he said then he looked at Dick. “Get some sleep. In the morning you’ll eat steak and eggs and we’ll discuss a short vacation for you.”

Dick nodded. He slipped off the medical table and followed Alfred to the elevator. Once he was gone Bruce looked at Dinah and Barbara.

“He carries a great deal of pain and regret. Damn Zucco. He chose the Flying Graysons because they were Haley’s biggest money maker. Audience in Europe and the US loved watching Richard Grayson fly. I sponsored their trip to Gotham,” he said with regret.

“Grandfather told me that several secret organizations wanted Richard after his parents’ death. He said that he was looked at as clay to shape into a great assassin or something more, Father. Grandfather said he thought seeking the boy out because he thought he could make for a great replacement for him,” said Damian.

“He’s always been special,” said Barbara softly.

“Dick found a home and family here. That is all that counts,” Bruce stated then he looked at Dinah and Barbara. “There are guest bedrooms waiting for you.”

“We should get going,” said Barbara.

“Stay. In the morning we’ll know about the vaccine’s efficacy and we can have breakfast together before my therapist comes and puts me through the paces,” Bruce offered.

“I’m tired,” said Barbara.

“Why not?” added Dinah.

“Good. Maybe you’ll be able to help me convince Dick to take a few days off,” said Bruce.

“Oh, yeah, Dick always listens to me,” laughed Barbara.

“He’d probably like to go to Bludhaven to check up on things,” said Dinah. “Of course, he should have backup right now, someone who can push him into showing off the nice part of the city.”

“Worth thinking about,” said Bruce.

Damian came up behind his father’s wheelchair. Instead of using the motor and riding it, Bruce let Damian push him. Dick had been a good influence of Damian. He had to remember to tell him that.

 

DCEU

 

Dick ate heartily his breakfast which consisted of a sirloin steak cooked medium, two eggs sunny side up, hash browns, and rye toast with butter. To wash it down he had an orange juice and a large mug of coffee. Bruce sat at the other end of the table enjoying two poached eggs on buttered toast to go along with a large glass of cranberry juice and a mug of coffee. Damian ate a simple bowl of cereal.

When Dinah and Barbara got up they sat at the dining table and waited for whatever Alfred wished to prepare them. Each sipped a mug of coffee to go along with the juice of their choice. Alfred brought them both the same thing he made Master Bruce. There were no complaints. Alfred joined them with a bowl of homemade oatmeal and a cup of tea.

“You’re taking a few days off,” Bruce said to Dick.

He looked up from putting ketchup on his steak, a habit that Bruce hated but never stopped him.

“I’m fine, Bruce,” said Dick. “I don’t need any time off.”

“Dick, everyone does,” said Bruce.

“You never took time off,” said Dick.

“And it was exhaustion that opened me up to having my back broken,” Bruce stated. “One of things Clark did for three weeks was make sure I got eight hours a night and didn’t push myself. He knew I was exhausted.”

“Clark is a good friend,” said Dick.

“He’s like a brother to me, Dick. And he told me that I have to make sure that you told fall into the same trap. Occasionally, you have to let your body rest,” Bruce told him.

Dick finished what was left of his steak by making a steak sandwich with his toast. He knew this was annoying Alfred and Bruce, which made it all the more enjoyable.

“Six days. I’ll take six days and go to Bludhaven. I need to check up on some things there and I can get some rest,” Dick offered.

“Will Nightwing be making any appearances?” asked Bruce.

“Only if he is needed to save lives,” answered Dick.

“I can accept that,” said Bruce. “You’ll take the Gulfstream.”

“I thought I’d drive in my Porsche. Driving relaxes me and I can stop and get lunch somewhere,” said Dick.

“Drive then,” said Bruce. “I’ll call Tim to come for a visit. Patrols will go on with Tim and Damian as well as the help of the Birds of Prey.”

“Oh, goodie, I get to have Bruce giving me instructions in my ear,” sighed Barbara.

“How is that any different from when you were training?” Bruce asked.

“Bruce, I’m no longer training,” she replied.

“We are always training, Barbara,” growled Bruce in his Batman voice.

Dinah, Dick, and Damian laughed. They not only found Bruce’s statement amusing, but it tickled them to hear the Batman voice again. Barbara shrugged and gave up. There was no arguing with Bruce now. 

“I’ll talk to Lucius for you and clear your schedule,” said Bruce. “It’ll be good for me to start to dip my toes back into Wayne Enterprises business.”

“I’ll leave tomorrow morning,” said Dick.

“Good, you’ll be back for the lighting of the Gotham City Center Christmas tree,” said Damian. “That always brings out the crazies.”

“I’ll be back in time for that,” said Dick.

“But you’ll be having Thanksgiving on your own,” said Alfred.

“Don’t worry, Alfred, I have friends in Bludhaven,” said Dick. “If not, I’ll make due with takeout.”

“Alfred, it’s not his first thanksgiving gone. We’ll leave an open place for you, regardless, Dick,” said Bruce.

“Thank you, Bruce. I appreciate it.”

 

DCEU

 

Dick packed the trunk of his Porsche then he got in and took off. Six days. He was looking forward to going back to Bludhaven for six days. Gotham City was his home, but Bludhaven was his city. It was Nightwing’s city. It was also five hours, maybe six hours drive.

Putting satellite music on his radio, he listened to it, as he drove to a city that he hoped to help with Wayne Tech and Nightwing. He was an hour and half outside of Bludhaven when he stopped at a twenty-four hour seven days a week diner. It was large place, even having a parking lot for trucks to go along with motorists. He entered the place and saw the hostess, who was busy. Dick grabbed a menu and walked over to an empty booth and sat down.

The hostess came over.

“A waitress will be with you in about ten minutes,” she said. “Can I get you coffee while you wait?”

“Please,” smiled Dick.

She headed off and returned with a steaming hot mug of coffee.

“Thank you,” he said and she left him alone.

After fixing his coffee the way he liked it, he took a sip then looked at his watch. A smile cracked his face, as Dinah, who was wearing black leather and didn’t have her disguise brown wig on, sat down and put her helmet on the table. She looked at Dick and grinned then she took his coffee cup away from him and took a sip.

“Not bad,” she said.

“No, it isn’t,” he said.

“I don’t want a relationship. Call it too soon or call it I’ve been burned, but I have nothing against a secret affair with you,” she said. “Can you handle that?”

“I can handle that,” he grinned.

“Good.”

“I say we have some comfort food then I race you to Bludhaven then fuck you so hard that you release that Canary Cry of yours,” he smirked.

“Try it, Bird Boy,” she smiled.

“I’ll do better than try.”

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Dick moved his hips faster and faster, pushing himself and Dinah harder and harder. They had become lost in intimacy and neither one of them cared. As he picked up speed, her back arched to the point that he was able to suck on one of her nipples. This caused her to make a noise that was on the verge of a scream, but she held back, as she knew the possibility of blow a hole in the roof if she was careful. But Dick didn’t care. He moved from her left breast to her right one, just as he started to thrust with everything he had.

Dinah no longer could hold back and she began to orgasm. Even though, she didn’t want to do this, she released a muffled scream that was attached to her metahuman talent. Dick felt the bed rattle and his ceiling creak, but he continued to thrust hard and fast until he finally came to a release then he collapsed on top of Dinah.

She held onto him. Holding him as if her life depended upon it, while waves of satisfaction went through her body. With some struggle because of her hold on him, Dick moved so that he could find her mouth and kiss Dinah. She devoured his mouth until they both need air. Shivers continued to go through her body.

“Wow,” Dick sighed.

“Yeah, wow,” Dinah agreed.

“I should check my ceiling to see if there are any cracks,” Dick stated.

“That’s on you, not me,” purred Dinah. “You’re the one to push me to my limit.

Dick turned on to his side then he started to gently play with her breasts. Dinah’s reaction was to moan, which encouraged him to continue.

“I’m hungry,” she said stopping him.

Dick sat up and found his watch on the night stand and checked the time. It was nine o’clock in the evening. They had been at since they got to his place at one in the afternoon. He was hungry, too.

“Shall I order some Chinese and have it delivered?” he asked.

“You should order a lot of Chinese and have it delivered,” she replied.

“The bathroom is over there. I have a big shower and tub, so take your choice. There are plenty of towels and a terry cloth robe hanging from the door hook. You can use it,” he said.

“And you?” she asked.

He put on his jeans and then found a black tee shirt on the floor and put it on.

“I’ll call the Chinese takeout place and make us some coffee. Or do you prefer tea or hot chocolate?” he asked.

“I’d like cold water followed by hot chocolate,” she said.

“Hot chocolate it is,” he said then found himself speechless as Dinah got out of bed.

She was standing there nude and Dick just found himself staring.

“You are magnificent,” he said.

“You like what you see?” she asked him.

“Oh, yeah, I do,” he sighed.

“Get me food,” she smiled then she headed into his bathroom.   

Dick continued into the large living room, kitchen, and den area of his warehouse loft home. He found his smart phone on the kitchen counter and then went through the local numbers until he found Chinese takeout. He placed an order of four orders of steamed dumplings, four orders of egg rolls, three orders of teriyaki chicken on a stick, two orders of crab rangoon, one pork fried rice, one pork Lo Mein, one orange chicken, one mixed vegetables, and a large sweet and sour soup.

Once that was done, he pulled two bottles of cold water out of the refrigerator and put them on the kitchen counter. Next, he searched his cabinets for hot chocolate mix. He found it and put it on the counter top near the stove. Dinah came out of the bedroom wrapped in the terry cloth robe.

“Feel good?” he asked her.

“I feel great,” she answered then headed over to the sofa in front of the TV.

He tossed her a bottle of cold water. She caught it. He then put his credit card on the kitchen counter.

“Here is my credit card in case they need it. Just add a tip to the order. I need to shower and change,” he said.

“Okay,” Dinah replied as found the remote and turned on the television.

Dick smiled and headed into his bedroom then into his bathroom. He took a long hot shower then dried off and found a pair of gray sweat pants and new black tee shirt. Dick headed back into the living room area. Dinah was watching a black and white movie and eating steamed dumplings. He noticed that the food was laid out on the counter.

Dick went over then grabbed an order of steamed dumplings and an order of egg rolls. He joined Dinah on the sofa.

“We have enough for tonight and tomorrow,” she said. “We don’t have to go out tomorrow.”

“If you need to work, I have an area on the first floor. It combines parkour, weight training, and acrobatics,” he told her.

She reached over and placed her hand on his crotch and smiled.

“And there are other forms of exercise, too,” she said softly.

“I love the way you think, Dinah,” Dick said.

She leaned over and kissed him then went back to watching the movie and eating. Dick started to enjoy his meal. He found himself happier than he’d been in years. Being round Dinah made him happy. He really didn’t want to ruin this.

Between driving, sex, recovering from blood loss, and eating too much, Dick fell asleep. He was sleeping soundly when he suddenly felt a sense of pleasure that woke him up. Dinah had removed his tumescent member from his sweat pants and now was fellating him while humming, a combination which was driving him to a giant release. He opened his eyes to look down to see her blonde hair going up and down on him.

“Dinah, I’m real close,” he strained to say.

Instead of stopping, he picked up the seeped and hummed with more vibrato. Dick couldn’t stop himself and began to move his hips until he found himself releasing an orgasm while thrusting up. Dinah didn’t stop until it was almost painful for Dick then she put him back in his sweat pants. She sat up.

“Why?” he asked weakly.

“I enjoyed it,” she smiled then kissed him hard on the mouth and returned to watching TV.

There was a new movie on. This one was one of those Hallmark holiday ones. The movie was for Thanksgiving. She appeared content to watch.

“The Birds of Prey do a drinking game to Hallmark holiday movies,” she remarked. “I prefer bourbon when I do it.”

“How about the hot chocolate I forgot to make you?” he asked.

She looked at him and smiled then said, “That would be perfect.”

“Hot chocolate it is,” said Dick.

He got up and went into the kitchen. Getting on the makings, including milk, Dick went about preparing hot chocolate. He remembered watching Alfred do this on cold winter nights. It made him feel domestic and happy to be doing this for Dinah.

Once everything was ready he poured two mugs of hot chocolate and returned to the sofa. Dinah took a mug from him, waited for him to sit down, then she moved closer to him and cuddled up. Dick smiled. He never thought of Dinah as someone who cuddles.

“This is nice,” she said then sipped her hot chocolate.

“I agree,” said Dick. “Should I make dinner reservations for us or should cook a thanksgiving meal?”

“You know I’ve never gone shopping for a thanksgiving dinner and then cooked it up. Let’s make our own,” she said.

“That means tomorrow we have to go food shopping,” Dick said.

“Do you know where to go?” she asked.

“I can find out. Bludhaven is my city,” he smiled.

“Now, let’s watch this movie. I’m enjoying it,” she said.

Dick kissed the top of her head and watched along with her.

 

DCEU

 

“Where’s Dinah?” Tim asked as he sat in the Batcave for a debrief with Bruce, Damian, Barbara, and Helen.

“Sometimes she takes off around the holidays, you know, to get away from people,” said Helen.

“Her husband was killed when she was twenty-two and was out of a bad relationship with Ollie at twenty-six. She turns twenty-eight in January. Dinah needs alone time around holidays,” said Barbara.

“Can we deal with talking about tonight?” asked Damian.

“Damian, calm down,” Bruce said. “We’ll do this debrief and then get some coffee or something.”

“Sounds good, Bruce,” smiled Tim.

“Okay, where do we stand with Penguin?” he asked.

“We now have enough intelligence to expose his mayoral candidate Jason hand as corrupt and show that Cobbelpot was illegal funding his campaign,” said Tim.

“That means we need to make a meeting with Jim Gordon,” said Bruce.

“How? We don’t have a Batman,” said Barbara.

“I’ll call Clark. He’s bigger than me, but has the ability to make his body seem smaller. Always he has complete control over his vocal chords so he can do my voice,” said Bruce. “He’ll drop out of a hovering Batwing, give Jim the intelligence, then grapple line up to the Batwing and take off. Jim will think that I’m back in town,” said Bruce.

“Penguin will find himself in court for month and months probably ruining whatever plans he has,” said Helen.

“He’ll be taken off the board for now,” said Bruce. “Good work.”

“Dick deserves most of the work,” said Barbara.

“Dick will be happy not to have deal with Cobblepot awhile,” said Bruce. “Any updates on Joker?”

“He showed up at Arkham Asylum and asked for his room back. He told them he needed a vacation from reality,” said Damian.

“And Harley?” asked Bruce.

“We got her out of Arkham and sent to Haven Security Village. High security and supposed to have very good doctors,” said Barbara.

“Good. Keeping them apart is a good idea. It will probably help with Harley rehabilitation,” said Bruce. “I think things are looking good.”

“Bruce, you almost sound like an optimist,” smiled Barbara.

“That’s from having spent all that time with Clark,” growled Bruce.

The elevator doors opened and Selina, dressed in black jeans and a large black tee shirt, got off. She looked at everyone and smiled.

“Alfred sent me down to tell you that drink and snacks are ready in the dining room. That is if you hungry and thirsty,” said Selina.

She then walked over to Bruce, made sure his electric wheelchair was off, and started to push him. With that Tim stood up and announced, “I could eat.”

Everyone followed them to the elevator.

 

DCEU

 

The food store was called Organic Foods. It was advertised as the best organic and all natural food store in Bludhaven. Dick and Dinah pulled into the parking lot in his Mercedes SUV. He thought that they might need the room for bags of food. In the Circus you either ate cafeteria style or during extended stays food for a meal was bought daily. At Wayne Manor Alfred kept the pantry and refrigerator stocked. Dick wasn’t sure when he did it or how, but he did. Now, even though, he’d been on his own for a few years, this was his first time shopping like this. Yes, he buy some food at the local corner store, but, on the whole, he lived on restaurants, diners, and takeout.

He grabbed a shopping cart and they started up and down the aisles. Dinah made a list, but Dick expected that they expand on it.

“Should we get fresh cranberry sauce or canned?” she asked.

“I like canned. You can put it on a turkey sandwich the next day,” he answered.

“Agreed,” she said.

“Sweet potatoes or yams?” she asked.

“Sweet potatoes,” he answered.

“Why?” she asked.

“I don’t like the sound of the word yams,” he told her.

She laughed, but didn’t argue with him. They bought a ten pound bag of Russet potatoes, too. Dick had a feeling that it was too much but he didn’t mind. Vegetables became spinach, green beans, and a container of creamed corn, which dick insisted on. He said his mother fed him creamed corn as a kid and he liked it. They got two loaves of French bread for dressing along with two pounds of sausage uncased, herbs and spices, butter, chicken broth, dried cranberries, and maple syrup. Finally, they chose a twelve pound turkey and two pies: a pumpkin and a traditional apple. Dinah insisted on vanilla ice cream for the pies.

After they grabbed two six packs of all natural ginger ale, milk, half and half, ground coffee, and eggnog, they were ready for the checkout line. As they stood in line Dinah turned and looked at Dick.

“What do you want to do when we get back to your place?” she asked.

“Workout. I haven’t done that in days, so I need to do it then eat leftover Chinese food and watch Hallmark Channel with occasionally checking out the Food Channel. How does that sound?” he asked.

“Like this is turning into one of the best holidays I’ve ever had,” she smiled.

“Me, too,” he agreed.

“I hope we don’t max out your credit card,” she said.

“It’s a stainless, steel black card. The limit has so many years that I’m ashamed to actually use it. Though, I did once buy a motorcycle with it once,” he smirked. “Bruce wasn’t really angry when I told him I bought so that I could follow the right hand man to a crime lord. They had kidnapped Jimmy Gordon, Barbara’s brother. I followed him to the place where they kept him, called it into Bruce then changed into my Robin suit and got Jimmy out of there and back home. Bruce dealt with the crime lord. His organization left town the next week.”

“Jimmy is in the Rangers, a lieutenant. I heard Amanda Waller is recruiting him to join ARGUS,” she said.

“Yeah. There’s a two years age difference between us,” Dick said. “He’s two years older than me. I was sixteen and he was eighteen when I broke him out. I think he resented me, but I told him that he’d never been trained by Batman.”

“Oh, that had to hurt the ego. No wonder he’s an overachiever now,” she said. “What happened to the bike?”

“It was made better by Alfred and Bruce and now is one of the backup Batcycles,” he told her. “Bruce may be rich, real rich, but he doesn’t like to waste money, people, or things.”

“How rich?” she asked.

“Fifteen billion, I think that was the last count,” Dick told her.

“And you?” she asked.

“Oh, me. Well between Haley’s Circus, which my parents owned a piece of and I now own outright, though Haley still runs it and the stock and trust fund Bruce set up for me, um, I’m worth six hundred million. I know I’m not a billionaire and you’re used to billionaires but six hundred million isn’t too bad,” he smirked.

“Ollie always warned me that you were a charming little dick,” she said. “Okay, he was partially right.”

“I’m not charming?” asked Dick.

“No, your dick isn’t little,” she smirked this time.

Dick laughed drawing attention to himself. He blushed when several of the women kept staring at him.

“Ollie doesn’t like me?” he asked her.

“Roy is one of your best buddies and when he’d visited he’d tell us Dick Grayson, or Nightwing, stories. Roy thought you were not only a great leader but one of the most fearless men he’d ever met. Roy will jump off a building while shooting a grappling arrow like Ollie, but he said that you liked to fly for several stories before using your grappling sticks,” she whispered this to him.

“Roy is a good guy. I wish he wasn’t teamed up Jason and Kori. He’s wasted with them,” said Dick.

“Well, Ollie used to tell me that he thought you were a showoff and then he pointed out that you were a womanizer just like Bruce. Yup, Ollie called you a womanizer,” she smiled.

“Hello pot, I am black, signed the kettle,” Dick said.

“What?” Dinah said.

“It’s a variation on the old saying…”

“I know what it is. I just never heard it said that way,” she said.

“It was one of Mr. Haley’s sayings. He also like to say when he thought we were being taken in a deal – don’t piss in my face and tell me it’s raining.” Chuckled Dick.

“He sounds like…”

“Someone who should run a circus filled with acrobats and clowns,” smiled Dick.

“I look forward to seeing Haley’s someday,” she said.

“You will if you’re in Bludhaven on eight months. They are going to be in town for the grand opening celebrating Wayne Tech,” he said. “It’ll be summer and we can set up on the waterfront and have everything outdoors. I might even convince Haley to let me sub for one of his flyers.”

“The Flying Grayson,” Dinah smiled sadly.

“I did a quad but I never did five rotations on the trapeze. I’ve done it as Nightwing, but never on the trapeze. I’d like to make my father proud one more time,” Dick said.

“Both your fathers are proud of you all the time,” said Dinah.

Dick blushed again and said, “Thanks, Dinah.”

“Next,” called the cashier.

“Time to spend some money,” said Dick, as they pushed their overfilled cart forward.

 

DCEU

Dinah was going through her routine of stretches and yoga, as she watched Dick begin his workout. He used the obstacles and levels built around the warehouse first floor as practice for Parkour. Except, since he was Nightwing, he made everything more difficult for himself. He added bling back flips, somersaults, handstands, rolls, and more. It was a form of entertainment watching him. When he finished, he started immediately to do sit ups with his knees curled around a bar so he was hanging upside down, push up with his feet on a large ball, and then one arm pushups. Dinah joined him when it came time to use the large heavy rope tiring out the arms. She also joined him for a series of joined moves. Finally, she asked him to spar.

“Sure,” was his answer, as they moved over to the large mat.

“What marital arts do you the most?” she asked him.

“Krav Maga, boxing, judo, jujutsu, and Savate,” he said.

“Really, Savate?” she asked.

“Kicks, babe,” he smiled. “I add in some other techniques when needed.”

“Okay, let’s go,” she said.

Having been trained by Wildcat, boxing was one of her most used techniques, but she also sprinkled in others. Dinah was known as one of the best hand to hand combat fighters out there. For thirty minutes they sparred with Dick sometimes hitting the mat and Dinah sometimes landing on it. She had to admit that his agility and acrobatic moves gave him an added advantage.

She brought up her left leg to kick him in the head, but Dick moved in quick so that it rested on his shoulder. He then grabbed her by the waist and moved her up tight against him, so that she felt his growing erection.

“You looking for a full workout, Nightwing?” she asked him.

“I could use one,” he smiled.

Instead of moving her leg down, she stayed in the position while her right hand freed Dick from his sweat pants. Since she was wearing a pair of shorts, he moved the shorts aside and found an entrance into her. Dinah started immediately to moan.

“God, I love the way you sound,” he said.

“Harder,” she spit out.

Dick changed their position so that they were both on the mat. Quickly, he removed her shirts and took off his sweat pants then he re-entered her. For the next thirty-five minutes they remained on that mat with Dick pushing and pushing her as much past her limit as he could. When they both had finished, he kissed then he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the area of the jacuzzi.

“God, yes,” she said then she removed the rest of her clothes.

She slipped into the jacuzzi then waited for Dick to join her. He removed his clothes then lowered himself into the hot water. Dinah noticed that his chest was scarred from Tepes. Those scars were definitely not going away.

She reached over and touched them and he flinched slightly.

“Still hurt?” she asked.

“Tender, but okay otherwise,” he told her.

She got in his lap and started to kiss him. Their mouth and tongues danced with each other until he was finally erect again and then she lowered herself down on him. Dick’s head went back, as Dinah was in charge. She moved up and down on him. At first slowly, but eventually she picked up the speed.

“Please, Dinah, please,” he said through gritted teeth.

“I’m coming,” she said but she didn’t let up on him. She kept going and going until he released and a shiver of pure pleasure went through him, as it did her.

Now finished, she didn’t get of his lap. She stayed there and kissed his shoulders and neck.

“I’m hungry,” he smiled.

“Me, too,” she agreed.

“But I don’t want to move,” he added.

“Me, too,” she laughed. “Of course, the water is going to get cold.”

“I know,” he sighed.

He sought out her mouth and kissed her hard.

“Let’s go,” he said.

 

DCEU

 

They sat on the sofa eating warmed up Chinese food. Dick stole an egg roll from her plate and she stole a chicken teriyaki from his. Dinah had put the Hallmark Channel on so that, if nothing else, the movies were of the season. They were watching _The Most Wonderful Time of the Year_ with Henry Winkler. Even Dick was enjoying this one. The next movie was called _The Christmas Card_.

“I guess we’ll start cooking once we wake up in the morning,” said Dick.

“The earlier the better,” Dinah said.

“No arguments from me,” he said. “I look forward to cooking with you.”

“Ditto, toots,” she smiled.

“Ditto, toots. Really?” he chuckled.

“Really,” she said. “Now shut up and watch the movie.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said.

Dick eat his food, enjoyed the company, and the movie. He’d call Bruce, Damian, Tim, and Alfred tomorrow to wish them a happy thanksgiving, but there was nowhere else he’d rather be than here in Bludhaven with Dinah. She looked over at him.

“What?” he asked.

“I know this might never happen again, but I’m glad we have this right now,” she said.

“I agree,” he said.

 


	9. Chapter 9

The placed smelled like thanksgiving. A sweet potato au gratin was cooking, the dressing was made and, in the oven, Dinah had a small pan with cinnamon sticks and cloves in water on simmer so that the smell permeated the place. Dick had the turkey prepped and was putting it in the oven. He turned to see Dinah was standing over the sink peeling potatoes then dropping them in a pot of water.

She had on a long white tee shirt, a pair of thick gray socks, and nothing else, while he wore gray sweat pants, white socks, and a tee shirt. There was Christmas music playing in the background, which made Dick smile. Wayne Manor didn’t have Christmas music playing too often, though Bruce did have a Christmas party where a quartet played holiday music. Again, he was struck at how much he enjoyed domesticity.

With Kori, they were always on the go and she preferred her spaceship to apartments. Barbara didn’t cook and didn’t like spending nights cuddling in front of the TV. She was always working on something. Dick moved in close behind Dinah and started to rub up against her.

“Are you trying to tell me something, Dick?” she smirked.

His hands went around her and found her breasts. After getting her nipples excited, they continued to her hips. Placing his hands on her hips, he squeezed gently.

“You looking to ride me like a bike, Dick?” she smirked.

Dick lifted her tee shirt exposing her heart shaped ass. Next, he released himself from his sweatpants. He was already fully erect, so he placed his penis in between her ass cheeks and started to move slowly.

“Damn it,” she said and turned off the water and stopped peeling potatoes. “We need to finish the potatoes.”

“We’re ahead of schedule,” he said. “I think we can take a half hour or so.”

“Fuck that. Take me,” she sighed.

He could smell that she was ready, so he stopped playing around and entered her from behind. Dick moved his hips back and forth, as Dinah gyrated hers. They would definitely be hungry for dinner.

 

DCEU

 

Selina found Bruce in his wheelchair in the living room by a large window staring out at the back. She was dressed in a simple dress. It was odd how at home she felt there. Lately, she had been spending extra time there because she got into the habit of helping Bruce with rehab and life. She enjoyed both. Placing her hand on his shoulders, she felt him sigh.

“In the past, Alfred would have had to have an early dinner so Dick and I could go out patrolling. No patrolling tonight. We’ll react to a call from Gordon, but no patrolling,” he said.

“You’re taking time for yourself and your family, Bruce. That’s good,” she said.

“Are you part of my family, Selina?” he asked her.

“I’d like to be, Bruce,” she said.

“I’d like you to be,” Bruce replied.

She leaned down and kissed his cheek.

“I like it here,” she said.

“Wayne Manor hasn’t had a lady of the house in many years. Are you looking for a job?” he asked.

“What do I need to do?” she asked.

Bruce wheeled his chair away from the widow and then faced her. He looked up at her and smiled then said, “Join my family.”

“I’d love to,” she said then sat in his lap and kissed him.

“Get a room,” Tim called out to them as he passed by on his way to the den to watch television.

Selina laughed and Bruce shook his head.

“This place has something like forty rooms more or less. I have a room,” he smiled.

 

DCEU

Dick woke up the next morning feeling full. He opened the refrigerator to see it stuffed with leftovers from turkey and fixings and the remains of the Chinese food. Shaking his head, he grabbed the coffee from the freezer and started the process of making morning coffee.

Using the remote he turned on the Sirius Radio to the holiday music. The sounds of Frank Sinatra singing _Jingle Bells_ filled the living room area. The door to the bedroom opened and Dinah, still dressed in the large tee shirt and with bed head, came out. She looked over at Dick and smiled.

“I’m making coffee,” he said.

“I’d give you a blowjob for that but I think a strained my jaw on you yesterday,” she smiled sweetly.

Dick blushed. If ever a woman kept him off balance, it was Dinah Lance. She walked over to the sofa and plopped down.

“You have any plans for today?” she asked.

“After a light workout, I was going to go to Flynn’s to check in with Phil. Just coffee, though. And, finally, after coming home and having a snack and rest, I was going out tonight as Nightwing. Bludhaven hasn’t seen him in too long,” he explained.

“Does he mind company?” she asked.

“Only if it’s a beautiful woman who can kick ass,” he said.

“I think I can help you then,” she said.

The tea pot started to whistle. Dick grabbed it and poured the hot water into a French Press where ground coffee awaited the water. He set the pot back on the stove and then waited for the coffee to steep before pressing it down.  

“We going to use the bikes?” she asked.

“Yeah, but do you have a grapple gun?” he asked her.

“Not really,” she answered.

“I’ll get out one that I have. My Erscima sticks have pitons and wire in them so I can use them like I use a grapple gun,” he told her. “You’ll be able to use the gun.”

“You know if I focus and use my scream just right it allows me to float, hover, and I’m working on flying,” she told him.

“Now that is impressive,” Dick smiled. “You never wear a mask, do you?”

“Never. Just a wig when I’m Dinah Lance. Although I’m starting to think that I don’t have to wear the wig. First of all, brunette is my style and no one seems to notice my face when I’m in black leather,” she told him.

“I think you’re hot a brunette and, of course, as a blonde you are sublime,” Dick stated.

He pushed down the plunger of the French press, poured them two mugs of coffee, fixed them the way they liked and then walked over to Dinah with them. She took one and started to sip the hot liquid. Dick sat down and took a sip.

“It was a great holiday. Thanks, Dinah,” he said.

“Dick, I enjoyed it as much as you,” she smiled.

“I’m glad. Hey, A holiday affair. I think that is a movie with Robert Mitchum. We should watch it before we go back to Gotham City,” he proposed.

“Gotham City,” she sighed. “Back to the really big city.”

“And the grind. Chairman of the Board during the day and Batman at night. But it several months I’ll be back to just being Nightwing in Bludhaven,” he said. “Life is funny. I like being Nightwing and Bludhaven is a good place for me, but everyone I care for is in Gotham City,” Dick said.

Dinah looked at him and realized that she not only like being with Dick, she preferred being with him. More than Ollie or being part of the Birds of Prey or other groups, she liked being his partner. And that time was nearing an end.

“Well, unfortunately, we won’t have much time for each other in Gotham City,” Dinah said.

“We still have time here,” Dick stated.

“Are you purposing that we have more sex?” Dinah smiled.

“We don’t have to,” Dick replied.

“Oh, shut up and fuck me, Grayson,” she said as she sat up and pulled her tee shirt over her head.

“You’re a taskmaster, Canary,” he grinned.

 

DCEU

 

Dick and Dinah sat at the bar at Flynn’s. Detective Hank Hogan was there, as was Detective Gannon Malloy, Sergeant Amy Rohrbach, Detective Elise Svoboda, and several other officers. They appeared to be huddling together in Flynn’s for a reason.

Dick knew most of them and they knew him. Phil Flynn came out from the backroom and walked over to Dick and Dinah.

“Why are so many on duty officers here, Phil?” Dick asked in a whisper.

“Twenty-four hour manhunt. Boone is on the loose,” Phil told him.

“Boone? I never heard of him,” said Dinah.

“Trained by the League of Assassins but he never became a member. He also has ninja training and other training. He’s a freelance assassin,” Dick told her then he looked at Phil. “Who did he kill?”

“Commissioner Redhorn. Right now, Desmond Soames is the acting Commissioner. He has a dozen men guarding him,” said Phil.

“Where was Boone last seen?” asked Dick.

“Over the bridge in the Narrows. But you know that area, Dick. It’s a slum. Tenement building after tenement building. The police are going to have to go floor by floor and building by building to find him,” said Phil.

“And if they don’t catch him, he’ll be on a ship out of the docks by tomorrow afternoon headed to Europe,” said Dick.

“Right,” sighed Phil.

Dick took a sip of his coffee. He wasn’t a fan of Redhorn, but he liked Soames. And the Narrows was filled with innocent hard working people who deserved better. Dinah observed him and knew that he was formulating a plan of action.

“Boone hates Nightwing. He said that he wanted to be the one to kill him,” said Dick. “It’s time I give him a chance.”

“Dick, that’s dangerous,” said Phil, beating Dinah to the punch.

“It’s worth it to take down Boone,” said Dick.

 

DCEU

 

After taking his bike across the Narrows Bridge, Dick took to the rooftops. Dinah followed behind protecting his back. Across rooftop after rooftop he raced until he finally was confronted by Boone.

“Nightwing, you came looking for me,” he said.

Nightwing was in his Nightwing suit, while Boone wore a black ninja-style suit.

“I think you’d want to see me before you went,” Dick said.

Dinah used this time to contact the police. She called Detective Hank Hogan and told him where Dick was confronting Boone. The task force was set into motion. Two police helicopters went up and dozens of patrol cars and unmarked cars headed to the Narrows. She observed what was happening from across the street, feeling utterly useless and realizing she had fallen in love with Dick Grayson. It was infatuation or a lust, but love.

“Shall we see who is better?” asked Boone.

Dick took his Escrima sticks out of their sheaths and rushed him. Boones took his two sai and ran at Dick. When they met, it was a battle of reflexes and agility. Each man was highly trained, but one of them was born with a gift at acrobatics and agility that the other wasn’t. Dick did a black flip allowing the sai he threw to miss him. The second sai came at him and he blocked it with his sticks.

“Not bad,” said Boone.

Neither man was out of breath but both men had so much adrenaline flowing that they were both aware of possible mistakes being made. Boone took six throwing stars out of his sleeve and threw them at Dick almost at the same time. Dick blocked three, dodged one, but one stuck in his right thigh and one struck him in the left shoulder. Dick knocked both away with his sticks and prepared for more throwing stars. Boone took six more out of his sleeve and began throwing them at Dick. This time he blocked four with his sticks and one struck him in the right side and the other one caught him in the abdomen. He slapped them away with his sticks and moved at Boone.

The two men began a martial arts battle as a helicopter with a search light highlighted them and their fight. Police snipers took to the roofs and started to paint them with laser sights. Dick now was sure that Boone would get caught regardless of how their fight turned out.

In his ear Dick heard the police frequency.

“Don’t shoot Nightwing. If you get a shot at Boone, take him down, but don’t shoot Nightwing,” the voice over the radio said.

“I think I have a shot,” sniper said.

“Only take it if you have a clear shot of Boone,” said whoever was in charge.

The shot rang out in the night. It was headed for Boone just as Dick and he meant in mid-air to exchange blows. Dick attempted to twist away from the bullet, but Boone kicked him into the path of the bullet. It hit Dick in the left side. Even with his Kevlar weave and others synthetic materials of his suit, it went right through his left side. Dick landed on the roof with a thud.

Immediately, he turned and fired his piton from his Erscima stick at the ankle of Boone. The piton wrapped around Boone’s ankle then Dick transferred the end of the wire wrapped to Boone’s ankle to his other stick and fired it at the landing bars of the police helicopter. The second piton wrapped around the bar and suddenly Boone was pulled high up into the air by the helicopter. He was captured.

When the search light searched for Dick in the rooftop he was gone. There wasn’t even a trace of blood thanks to his suit and a couple of vile of bleach he tossed at the blood spots. Dick made his way through a tenement building. He was starting to feel the loss of blood and losing energy. When he got to the third floor, he heard the police enter the building. Dick didn’t want to confront the police right now.

“Amigo,” man standing in a doorway said to him. “You need to hide?”

“Just for a few minutes,” he said.

“Come in here,” the man waved him into the apartment.

His wife and young son stood in the living room staring at Dick. He smiled at them.

“Sit down, Amigo,” the man said. “I’ll get you some water.”

“Thank you,” Dick said then he sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall.

The man returned with a cold glass of water. He handed to Dick.

“You didn’t have to sit on the floor,” the man said.

“I didn’t want to bleed on your furniture,” he said.

“Don’t worry about it. You might not remember but last year during the winter I was coming home from the bodega I work at and two men tried to rob me. You stopped them then told me to have a good evening,” he told Dick.

There was a knock on the door. The man went down the hallway and answered it. He answered a few questions then he shut the door.

“I told the police that the only people in my apartment was my wife, child, and me,” he said.

“Help me up,” Dick said then he reached up and the man took his arm and pulled him up.

“Do you have a fire escape facing the alleyway?” he asked.

“Yes,” the man said.

“Take me to the widow then,” said Dick.

The man showed Dick to the widow. Dick opened it and slipped out of the apartment. The man stuck his head out and watched him go. Instead of making his way down the fore escape, Dick fired a piton and wire and swung away. He landed in the alley way and started to run towards where he left his bike.

Dinah arrived at the warehouse before Dick. She parked the bike and waited for him. And waited for him. He went radio silent and turned off the GPS on his bike, so she was blind on where to find him. Finally, she heard the secret entrance open and the bike came in slowly. Once it stopped moving Dick fell off his bike and landed on the concrete floor. Dinah rushed to his side.

“Blood loss,” he said. “Tired and no energy.”

“I’ll get you upstairs and then I’ll patch you up. The bullet, was it through and through?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah, my damned suit barely stopped the sniper bullet,” Dick told her. “The throwing stars will only need one or two stitches for each wound.”

“Shut up save your breath. I’ll take care of you,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am,” he mumbled.

 

DCEU

 

Dick woke to find himself naked with only a sheet covering his lower half. He was patched up in several areas and his body was sore from dehydration and exertion. Lying beside him, also naked, was Dinah. She was asleep. He tried to reach for the glass of water but failed. This woke Dinah. She reached across him and got the water for him. He drank down the full glass of water. His body needed it.

“Are you awake or are you going back to sleep?” she asked him.

“I’m awake,” he said.

“Good. Now I can give you a piece of my mind. Don’t you ever risk yourself like that again without using backup better. I could have helped in that fight,” she snapped.

“I’m sorry. All I could think of was capturing Boone,” he stated.

“And you almost got someone I love killed,” she said and immediately regretted it.

“Love?” he asked her.

“It an expression, Dick. I care about you,” she said.

“But not love?” he asked.

“Don’t push it. I’m angry at you and concerned about you at the same time,” she said. “I know we have to talk about what has developed between us, but not now. Not tonight.”

“Okay, Dinah. I understand,” he said.

“Good. Now kiss me,” she ordered him.

He leaned over and kissed her. It was the mildest kiss that the shared yet it was one of their most meaningful ones because it felt like love. She caressed his cheek then told him.

“Rest. Tomorrow, you’ll get a good breakfast,” she said, “even if I have to go out and buy you a steak.”

“Okay,” he smiled then he laid back down. “I still feel tired.”

“Then sleep.”

 

DCEU

 

Bruce was using crutches rather than the wheelchair. Clark’s nanbots were doing their job and his rehabbing was picking up its pace. Today, Dick was due back, so tonight he’d send him out with Tim to deal with a Killer Croc problem. Both Dick and Tim had to deal with the sewage system but Croc made his home in it. He made his way from the living room to the den. Alfred entered behind him.

“Will you want soup and sandwiches for dinner tonight or chicken pot pie?” he asked.

“What kind of soup?” Bruce asked.

“I have pea soup and minestrone,” said Alfred.

“Soup and sandwiches sound fine. We’ve been eating too many big meals lately,” said Bruce. “Where’s Damian?”

“Miss Kyle took him to the game store to buy a few new games. He earned this privilege by Miss Kyle is a game of chess,” Alfred told him.

“They get along, don’t they?” Bruce queried.

“Better than I anticipated,” answered Alfred. “Will she be here for dinner?”

“Yes, Alfred, she will,” said Bruce.

“Good,” the older man smiled.

He left Bruce in the den. Bruce made his way over to the leather armchair and sat down. Just then Dick entered the house. He called, “Anyone home?”

“Dick, in the den,” Bruce called to him.

Dick walked into the den. When he saw the crutches, Dick smiled. Bruce was getting better faster than scheduled.

“So, crutches, huh? What’s next the experimental battle armor?” asked Dick.

“I already tried that. There are a few adjustments that need to be made,” said Bruce.

Dick sat down on the sofa.

“Nightwing had a big capture in Bludhaven,” said Bruce.

“One, I’m recovered from my injuries, and, two, Boone is better off in prison than on the streets,” said Dick.

“I agree. How did it feel to be Nightwing again?” Bruce asked.

“Great. I’ve grown into being Nightwing. It’s my second skin,” said Dick.

“You’re a good Batman, too, Dick,” said Bruce. “Tonight, you and Tim are going out hunting Killer Croc. He needs to be taken in before he kills someone.”

“Sewage system?” asked Dick.

“Unfortunately,” said Bruce.

“Oh, joy,” sighed Dick. “I guess that’s my welcome home.”

“That and you are being made a VP of Wayne Tech. You’ll have an office in Bludhaven. You’ll be my eyes and ears in Bludhaven. Also, you now officially on a board member of Wayne Enterprises. Lucius and I agreed that you can go meeting through portal or whatever method you like. I want you on the board because I want no more surprises. Wayne Enterprises will stay solidly in the hands of the men and women I pick,” stated Bruce.  

“Sure, Bruce. I’ll do it,” said Dick.

“Good.”

Alfred came back into the den. He looked at Dick and smiled.

“Master Dick, it’s good to see that your home,” he said.

“Good to see you, Alfred,” smiled Dick.

“Now, where is Tim?” asked Bruce.

“He is in the Batcave talking to several of the Titans. It’s an important meeting according to him,” said Alfred

“That reminds me I should talk to Clark and check up on the league,” said Bruce.

“Let’s have dinner first, shall we?” said Alfred.

 

DCEU

 

Killer Croc was born Waylon Jones. A mistreated birth defect turned him into a reptilian looking creature with super human strength, the abilities of a croc in the water, and thick greenish skin. A doctor send it was the combination of the serum they gave him along with radiation therapy that changed his metahuman DNA that turned him into Killer Croc.

At first, he tried to live the life of a normal human being. He worked in a carnival. That was where he got the nickname Killer Croc. After a scuffle between carnies and citizens, Croc put six men in the hospital, one died. After that Killer croc took to Gotham’s sewers and made his living taking jobs from crime families. He did everything from leg breaker to assassin to knocking off a few banks and stores himself.

Croc got out of Arkham through its sewage system. He’d been on the run form the police for two weeks now. Recently, he put three cops in the hospital and also a street vendor who sold hot dogs. When they found the vendors czrt, it was empty of food. Croc must have been hungry.

“He must be under the sewage water. I can’t pick him up,” Bruce told Dick.

Dick was thigh deep in sewage water. Not too far behind him was Tim, The Red Robin.

“I hate this job,” Tim announced to Dick and Bruce.

“We have no signs of Croc,” Dick announced.

Right then Croc came out of the water right in between them. He stood six foot six and weight close to three hundred pounds of muscle. Dick turned and face him first.

“Batman,” Croc growled, “why won’t you leave me alone?”

“Because I have room in my aquarium and you’d be perfect to fill it,” Dick answered.

Tim laughed. Croc turned and growled at him

“Don’t laugh. I don’t like being laughed at,” Croc demanded.

“Then put your hands behind your back so I can handcuff you and arrest you and he’ll stop laughing,” said Dick.

“You’re making him angry,” Bruce said.

“I know,” Dick stated. “I want him mad.”

“I don’t like being made fun of,” Croc shouted.

He dove at Dick. Instead of moving out of the way, he let an out of control Croc hit him in the chest and drive him into the water. This gave Tim time to take out a specialized Taser. As they went under the water, Dick put a rebreather in his mouth. He had no intention of drowning.

He’d watch Bruce too often go toe to toe with Croc and realized that Croc got over emotional easily. Once he was out of control you could take him down, as long as you had the right things. A specialized Taser and a heavy duty sedative would do it. As Dick struggled with Croc, he waited on Tim to do his part. Suddenly Croc went spastic and then stopped moving. Dick came up for air in time to see Tim give him the sedative.

“What is going on there?” demanded Bruce.

“Call the police to have Croc picked up. He’s put cold. Red Robin gave him the sedative,” said Dick.

“Well done. I tell them to rush,” said Bruce.

The earpiece went dead. Dick looked at Tim.

“Fun, huh?” Tim said.

“I’ve had better fun,” said Dick.

“Well, I hope Alfred saved some of that minestrone. This water is cold,” Tim remarked.      

Dick nodded yes but his mind was on Dinah. He already missed her.                                                               

 

                                                                                                                                                 

 


	10. Chapter 10

Bruce was welcomed back to Wayne Enterprises like a conquering hero. People greeted him in the hallways, as he walked with two canes instead of crutches. Dick and Lucius walked with him. They entered Bruce’s office, which was next to Dick’s office. He sat down behind his desk. His administrative assistant, Janet Hudson, brought them coffee and biscuits then left shutting the door. Bruce pressed a button under his desk guaranteeing privacy.

Lucius stood up and poured them coffee then he grabbed his coffee and biscuit and sat down. Dick started to nibble on a biscuit.

“Lucius, I want to try a new design of the Batsuit,” Bruce told him. “I was thinking of sensors in the suit, so if there is stress in certain body parts, we can monitor it and deliver medical assistance or therapy when the suit is off.”

“That can be done,” Lucius said as much to himself as to Bruce. “I have some ideas. We can also probably sell this technology to the military.”

“Win/win,” said Dick.

“Good,” said Bruce. “Also, I want us to upgrade our first aid kits both in the cave and on the Batmobile and Batwing. We need to have compression casts and such.”

“Thinking of limiting injuries and damage, Bruce?” asked Dick.

“Yes. I should have taken this mindset earlier,” said Bruce. “Our bodies take a great deal of damage. If we can alleviate or limit the damage, it will lengthen our careers.”

“I agree,” said Lucius.

“I won’t argue with you, Bruce,” said Dick.

Dick finished his biscuit then picked up his coffee and started to drink it.

“Wayne Tech in Bludhaven can handle the development of the sensors and some of the medical gear,” said Bruce.

“Get the Bludhaven branch off to a good start,” added Lucius.

“Which will be good for Bludhaven,” said Bruce.

“Agreed,” said Lucius.

Bruce took a sip of his coffee then he leaned back in his chair.

“The Gotham City Center tree lighting is tomorrow. Wayne Enterprises will have to have a presence. I will be attending along with Selina and Damian,” said Bruce.

“Which means you want Tim and I to be in the rooftops watching down and making sure nothing happens,” said Dick.

“Exactly,” said Bruce.

“Okay,” sighed Dick. “Police support?”

“Talk to Gordon tonight at the dinner. A large police presence will already be there. Putting some on the roofs wouldn’t be a bad idea,” said Bruce.

Dick yawned then he grinned, “I don’t see Gordon until two in the morning. I think I’ll order sausage and waffles this time. Or maybe a tuna melt.”

“Order the waffles,” said Bruce. “They’re excellent.”

“Good to know,” smiled Dick.  

 

DCEU

 

“Thanks for coming to this with me,” Ollie said Dinah, as they milled through the large crowd waiting for the Christmas tree to be lit.

“It’s generous that you and Bruce are starting a toy drive for needy children,” said Dinah. “I like the cause. I’m not too happy with you.”

“I know, I know. I’m an asshole,” he said.

“Getting caught with Vixen in the armory isn’t being an asshole, Ollie; it’s being the worst boyfriend every,” said Dinah.

They made their way through the crowd and to the VIP area where Bruce, Selina, Damian, Commissioner Gordon, Chief O’Hara, and Mayor Michael Atkins and his wife. Ollie and Dinah joined them, as a police officer unhooked the red velvet rope.

“Ollie, Dinah,” Bruce greeted them.

Dinah nodded.

“Bruce,” Ollie returned the greeting the he looked at Selina. “I see you have a lovely date.”

“Hands off, Blondie,” said Selina.

“I see my reputation is well known. Lucky me,” sighed Ollie.

Dinah put the collar of her knee length black leather coat up. It was chilly on the verge of cold out. She looked up at the building tops knowing that Dick was somewhere up looking down. And here she was with Ollie. _I wonder what Dick thinks_ , she thought.

Dick looked down at the large that encircled the tree and the VIPs. A musician got up in front of a mic and started playing their guitar and singing _Jingle Bells_. Dick used binoculars to check things out stopping on Ollie and Dinah standing with Bruce, Selina, and Damian. He put the binoculars down.

Yes, he knew that she was doing Ollie a favor, at least, according to Barbara. But he hated seeing her with him. It turned him stomach. He put the binoculars up again and looked at the tree. In front of it were giant presents, which were decorations, and a giant Jack in the Box along with giant candy canes.

“So far, nothing is happening Batman,” Tim spoke in his ear.

“I see that Red Robin,” replied Dick.

A cheer came from the crowd as the singer stopped. Before Mayor Atkins could speak the Jack in the Box started to play music. Everyone went silent.

“Bruce, what is happening?” asked Selina.

“I don’t know but you and Damian get ready to run,” said Bruce.

“I’m not leaving you,” said Selina.

“Me, too,” said Damian.

“People are starting to panic, Bruce,” said Ollie.

“Batman is here,” said Bruce.

Commissioner Gordon got on his walkie talkie and stated to bark orders. He wanted his officers to clear a street and start moving people away from the tree.

Just then a Two Face Jack in the Box popped out and a pre-recorded message started.

“I flipped a coin and the result came up a gift for Gotham City. The big present beside the Me in the Box is filled with explosives. Merry Christmas,” the message went then stopped.

People started to panic. Dick reacted immediately.

“Red Robin use the remote and bring the Batmobile as close to the tree and present as you can,” he ordered.

“What are you going to do, Batman?” asked Tim.

“Put the present in the Batmobile and get it as close to the waterfront as I can,” he said.

Dick dove off the twenty story building. He used his cape to control and slow his ascent. Many in the crowd pointed up at him and many others started to call out encouragement to Batman. Once he had gone down ten stories, he fired the grapple gun, catching a building across the street and started to swing towards the ground. He pressed the release on the grapple gun, put the grapple gun back, and then grabbed onto the overhang of a lamppost, did two giant swings and summersaulted then land gracefully by the VIP area. He looked at Commissioner Gordon.

“Commissioner, have your men clear a path to the tree. I have backup coming,” he said.

Commissioner started to give more orders. Ollie sighed then said under his breath, “Show off.”

“He’s better than you,” said Dinah.

The roar of the Batmobile could be heard as people cleared a path for it. Tim remotely drove the vehicle right up to the Christmas tree. Dick ran towards the tree. With some effort he lifted the present up and carried it towards the Batmobile.

“Kind of wish you had Bruce’s muscles now, don’t you?” teased Red Robin.

“Very funny,” mumbled Dick then he added. “Open up the Batmobile.”

Suddenly, the canopy of the Batmobile slid back and Dick forced the present into the passenger seat then he got into the driver’s seat. Dick drove away and headed towards the waterfront. His plan was to down the explosives. Taking out a Batarang and used the sharpness to cut a hole in the box. Pushing the cardboard away he saw a clock. It was counting down and Dick had less than two minutes to get to the waterfront.

He stepped on the gas picking up speed.

“Batman, are you going to make it in time?” Red Robin asked him.

“It’s going to be close. I might have to drive the Batmobile into the water,” he told him. 

“Damn, I liked that Batmobile. Dick the water is very cold and that suit is hard to swim in,” said Tim.

“Yeah, I know,” growled Dick.

Dick turned down a street and could see the waterfront. Putting his foot all the way down on the peddle, Dick hit the booster button giving the engine a boost of jet fuel. The Batmobile plowed through fencing, and guard rails and was headed into the water. Dick released the canopy, which blew like a jet plane canopy. The Batmobile zoomed up into the air and started to come down in the water.

Dick did a black flip out of the Batmobile. He contemplated landing on dry land but he’d broken enough bones for now. As the Batmobile hit the water with the explosive and started to sink, Dick hit the cold water. Before he could swim away far enough the explosives went off and the water erupted and Dick went up twenty feet into the air and then came down in the water again.

Feeling a little off kilter, he continued to swim towards the wharf. A bike came roaring to a stop. As Dick got closer, he heard a voice.

“Give me your hand, Batman,” Tim called.

Dick reached up and Tim pulled him onto the wharf. He then helped him on the bike then he got on.

“Hang on tight,” said Tim.

“Yeah, sure,” said Dick.

“You okay?”

“Ears are ringing. Feeling off balanced,” said Dick.

“Sounds about normal for you,” chuckled Tim then he took off. The police would have to deal with Two Face tonight. Batman needed a hot bath and for his ears to stop ringing.

 

 

 

DCEU

 

By the time Bruce got home, Dick was in a hot bath and from there he went to bed because his ears were still bothering him. When he woke his ear were fine and his balance restored. He took a hot shower then dressed and went down for breakfast. Bruce sat at the head of the breakfast table with Selina on his right and Damian on his left. Tim was sitting on the right halfway down, while Oliver Queen was seated at the other end of the table. They were already eating their meals. Dick sat across from Tim.

“How are you feeling this morning?” asked Bruce.

“Fine. Ringing is gone and balance is restored,” answered Dick.

“Good. I was thinking we send out the Batsub to do a salvage of what we can of the Batmobile,” said Bruce.

“Remote or actually someone in the sub?” asked Dick.

“Tim was convincing me of doing the remote way,” said Bruce.

“I’m good at using the remote,” said Tim.

Alfred arrived carrying a tray with coffee, orange juice, and plate with an omelet filled with cheese and ham and hash browns, as well as an Enlishg muffin. He placed everything in front of Dick.

“Thanks, Alfred,” said Dick.

He started to eat while listening to Oliver and Bruce discuss the toy drive.

“We could get Clark to appear as Superman to collect toys. He’d do it,” suggested Oliver.

“I’d like to see him dressed as Santa,” purred Selina.

“I’d pay to see that,” chuckled Tim.

“I’ll think about it,” said Bruce. He wasn’t a fan of humiliating his friend, who he owed so much.

“How about Hal Jordan?” suggested Damian. “He could collect all the toys in ring construct.”

“Hal would do it if I asked,” said Oliver.

“Maybe?” sighed Bruce.

“You’re wanting to keep this non-metahuman or hero, Bruce,” stated Dick.

“I know the kids would be excited by Clark or Hal or others, but…”

“Santa should be the star not superheroes,” said Selina.

“Exactly,” smiled Bruce. “We need Santas and elves.”

“And reindeer?” asked Dick.

“Yes, if we can. Some cities have regulations and this drive starts next week in six cities,” said Bruce.

“What do you need me to do?” asked Dick.

“Talk up the toy drive, maybe even do some TV interviews, and make a donation,” said Bruce.

“One million dollars enough?” asked Dick.

Bruce smiled and nodded yes.

“Well, between our personal donations and company donations, we will be well financed,” said Oliver. “What cities do you want me to handle?”

“Coast City, Star City, Central City are yours. I’ll take Gotham City, Metropolis, and Hub City,” said Bruce. “They all have large populations and large tenement areas where children can use the toys.”

“Done,” said Oliver, who then picked up his coffee and drank it down. “I have a date before I leave with Dinah. Besides toy drive this is an apology tour.”

He stood up and offered Selina a smile then he looked at Bruce.

“Thanks for the bed for the night and the entertainment last night. I left my bow and arrows at home, so I was definitely cheering for Batman,” he said then winked at Dick, who to send him on an extended apology tour. “My overnight bag is in the hallway and my car is out front. So, I’ll be talking to you.”

Oliver left. Once he was gone, Selina growled.

“I don’t like him,” said Selina.

“He’s trying, Selina, so cut him some slack,” said Bruce.

“He’s trying alright,” mumbled Damian.

“Hey, a sense of humor from the new Robin. Not bad,” chuckled Tim.

Bruce shook his head, but Dick noticed a smile on his lips.

“Damian, you and I are playing some video games later,” said Selina.

“I pick,” he said.

“No problem,” she smiled.

 

DCEU

 

Tim used the Batsub remote controls to grab hold at the wreck that was the new Batmobile. He then started to pull the Batmobile back to the underwater section of the Batcave. Dick sat behind eating popcorn and watched.

“You love doing this,” Dick noted.

“Better than a video game,” said Tim. “Oh, by the way, I’ve found a building that I’m buying to convert into a substation for the Titans emphasizing training.”

“What part of Bludhaven?” he asked.

“Your place is in the Business District near the Green Line, so I bought a place in The Narrows bear the Blue Lines Tunnels and not far from the Little Neck Bridge,” Tim told him.

“How long will it take to renovate?” Dick asked.

“Six to eight months. I have to use two to three contractors and they can’t know what the other is doing and so on so forth. You know the problems when building a secret liar,” Tim sighed.

“I do. If you need help just ask. I know some good contractors in Bludhaven,” said Dick.

“Forward their names to me,” said Tim.

There was silence between them for a few minutes as Tim navigate the wrecked Batmobile and Batsub through some touchy areas. Finally, Tim broke the silence.

“Bruce is making great headway in his rehabbing,” Tim remarked.

“He’ll be down to no canes after the New Year,” said Dick. “After that he’ll be pushing himself even greater.”

“If Selina lets him,” smiled Tim. “I like them together.”

“I do, too,” said Dick.

“That’ll mean you’ll be going back to Bludhaven in a few months,” said Tim.

“Hope to be back there for my birthday in March,” said Dick.

“So, you can celebrate it alone, Bro,” said Tim. “That’s not going to happen.”

“If you show up with Roy, Wally, Jason, Garfield, Vic, Rachel, and Kori, I will hurt you,” said Dick. “I hate big birthday parties.”

“I was thinking just me, Jason, and, maybe Damian. Takeout, video games, and cake. Sound good?” asked Tim.

“Okay, I’ll accept that.”

Tim smiled. The elevator door opened and it was Alfred carrying a tray with mugs filled with hot chocolate on it. He walked over and offered Dick a mug then Tim a mug. The finally mug was for himself.

“This is delicious, Alfred,” said Tim.

“Thank you, Master Tim.”

“Thanks, Alfred,” added Dick.

“You are welcomed, Master Dick,” said Alfred, who found a seat and sat down. “Miss Barbara called for Selina, but Miss Selina didn’t head off to the Clock Tower. It appears that she prefers the Batclan to the Birds of Prey.”

“They’re getting serious,” noted Tim.

“They should take their time,” said Dick.

“I believe, Master Dick, that they are taking their time and enjoying themselves,” said Alfred.

“Damian could end up with a step-mother who could kick his mother’s butt,” laughed Tim.

“Funny, very funny,” said Dick.

Dick took a sip of his hot chocolate, while Tim talked to Alfred. He was going to miss moments like this when he was back in Bludhaven. This felt like family. Just like Dinah felt like family. Dick sighed softly.

“Anything wrong, Master Dick?” asked Alfred, who heard his sigh.

“Just enjoying the company, Alfred,” he answered.

“And it’s good to have you two around,” smiled Alfred.

 

DCEU

 

Two Face was once the DA of Gotham City. He was also once upon a time a close friend of Bruce Wayne. The two men enjoyed each other’s company. But that was before Harvey Dent was scarred, lost his mind, and became Two Face. Of all of Bruce’s foes, Two Face gave him the most trouble because he hoped the man could be made Harvey Dent again. Bruce wanted to heal Harvey more than arrest him. But the acid that scarred his face did more than change Harvey’s personality, it changed the man to the core. Dick wasn’t a fan of Two Face, who let chance dictate his moves.

Now, Harvey Dent was most wanted in Gotham City. It was the Christmas Season and Bruce was helping Dick hunt down his one-time friend. For his part, Dick squatted on a gargoyle on top of a building in the business district. Hovering over the city, was the Batcopter, a modified Arapaho helicopter from Wayne Aerospace. The controls were set up to fly remotely, so Bruce was flying it from the Batcave, as Dick surveyed the city.

“I’m getting an alarm going off at a Christmas Party at Kord Enterprises,” Bruce said in his ear.

“Two Face?” asked Dick.

“Sounds like something Harvey would do. Harvey and Ted Kord had animosity between them. Harvey would love to ruin the party and probably collect some cash, jewelry, and watches,” said Bruce.

“Have the Batcopter swing by with a line hanging so I can grab it. Time to crash a party,” said Dick.

Bruce brought the Batcopter about, then lowered a line so Dick could grab it. As the copter got close to Dick, he did a high dive off the gargoyle. For six stories he glided towards the ground until he allowed his cape to catch the air and hold him up enough to grab the rope. From a far it looked as if he was flying.

The Copter raced towards Kord Enterprises. The party was being held on the top floor, which was the fiftieth floor. A glass oval shaped building, it wanted to rival Wayne Tower for tallest in Gotham City. Wayne Tower, though, beat it by ten stories. As the copter approached it, Dick took an explosive batarang out and threw it at one of the glass windows. When the batarang hit the glass, it shattered it and Dick followed through doing a tuck and roll and coming up fighting. Harvey and eight of his men had invaded the party.

“Look here, we have a party crasher. Get him boys. Kick both sides of his head in,” called out Harvey.

Using batarangs, stun pellets, and good old fashion ass kicking, he went through six of the eight until Harvey and two of his men took off. Dick followed after them, as they used the stairwell instead of an elevator, which was now in control of the police department. Instead of running down steps, Dick hurdled down them skipping half level and sometimes full levels. He caught up with the first thug and stopped long enough to deliver a Savate kick to the head and bind him with a heavy duty zip tie.

He couldn’t after the other thug and Harvey. The thug stopped to pull his weapon and fire straight at Dick, who wrapped himself in his cape and dove at the thug. As he got close, he opened up the cape and landed both his boots on the man’s chest sending him hard against the concrete wall. He was immobilized. Dick zip cuffed him and continued after Harvey.

Harvey kicked open a door to the third floor. Dick followed close behind him. He watched as Harvey turned and tossed a grenade at him. Diving for cover the hand grenade tore up a good piece of an office area. Coughing from the dust and debris, Dick got up and followed after Harvey. He saw the man pull a handgun and fire at a window until it shattered then Harvey continued diving out the window and landing in the back of a padded dump truck which then took off plowing through police cars and heading off in the direction of Holbrook Tunnel, which led to East Egg and other spots on the peninsula where beaches towns, and vacation homes and mansions were located.

Dick had no doubt that Harvey would be gone from the truck by the time it got to the tunnel and gone off in hiding. He heard police coming up the stairs, so he ran and jumped out the same widow as Harvey. He landed with a tuck and roll to save on his knees then came up and walked over to Commissioner Gordon, who arrived and had taken charge.

“Eight men are incapacitated in the building. Check the hallway for two of them,” he said.

“Dent?” asked Gordon.

“In was in that truck. He got away,” said Dick.

“We’ll get him,” Jim Gordon stated then he looked at Dick. “Good work.”

“Could have been better,” said Dick.

“It can always be better, Batman. We do as well as we can,” said Gordon. “I hope you’re coming to the police Christmas Party we are having at Police Headquarters next week.”

“I’ll try to be there,” said Dick.

“Should I put your name in the secret Santa hat?” Gordon smiled.

“I don’t think so,” said Dick.

Suddenly, a remotely controlled Batcycle pulled up beside Gordon and Dick. Dick got on it and turned off the remote device. Gordon sighed then looked up at the sky.

“Looks like snow is coming,” he said.

“A white Christmas. Who could ask for more?” said Dick then he drove away.

Gordon turned to Captain Carlos Diaz and said, “Have the eight thugs collected. Maybe we’ll get some information from one of them to where Two Face is hiding.”

“Dent’s men usually don’t crack,” said Diaz.

“Then they can enjoy a long stay in the state penitentiary,” said Gordon.

“I hear you, sir,” said Diaz then he got on the radio and ordered his Hercules Unit to pick up Dent’s men.

 

DCEU

 

Wayne Manor was decorated for the holiday. Alfred oversaw the decorators in each and every room there was decorations. Bruce was having the Wayne Enterprises Christmas Party at Wayne Manor this year. He didn’t want to deal with travel and knew that people got a kick coming to his place.

It was a party for over a hundred, which meant the second floor ballroom was opened up as well as the first floor. Alfred even arranged a tent, lights, and standing outdoor heating units for the back lawn. Dick was in his room putting on an Armani tuxedo with a black tie when Barbara busted into his room.

“Okay, Grayson, are you hiding up here? The party has already started. Damian just asked Dinah to dance to _Santa Baby_ and she said yes,” she laughed.

“I’m coming. I just have to tie my tie,” he said.

“You’re looking good,” she said.

He looked at her in a green dress that complimented her red hair.

“You, too, Babs,” he smiled.

“Dinah is wearing a hot black number that had Selina even look jealously at her,” Barbara said.

“Helen, Sandra, and Tatsu here, too?” he asked.

“Yup. They are enjoying the food, the music, and drink,” she said.

“And Daddy?” smiled Dick.

“Commissioner James Gordon is here, also,” she smirked. “He’s talking to the mayor and Coach Halifax of the Gotham Knights.”

“Tim must be thrilled about that. No wonder he came home for the party,” Dick said.

“But Jason didn’t,” Barbara pointed out.

“Jason has a problem with parties. We don’t push him on it,” said Dick. He finished with his tie then looked at Barbara. “Let’s go.”

Dick entered the fray. He welcomed people, shook hands, and grabbed a Champaign flute and took a sip. As he went room to room, he finally saw Dinah. Barbara was right in that she made every other woman disappear with the dress she wore and how she wore it. She noticed him and helped up her flute glass and toasted him. He smiled then moved on.

Hours later Dick found himself outside with a plate full of finger foods enjoying the cold fresh air and a moment alone as he moved away from the tent to the gazebo right before the bush maze. He walked up the gazebo steps and looked back at the sounds and lights of the party. It was a success, but, of course, Wayne Manor never had an unsuccessful party in it. He ate a few crab puffs then a couple of the stuffed mushrooms. The food was delicious, but he wanted something more substantive like a hot dog or a burger.

He placed his plate on the ledge of the railing and looked out at the maze. When he first got to Wayne Manor, he purposefully got lost in that maze for hours. It allowed him time to be alone.

“Hiding, handsome?” Dinah’s voice said.

He turned to see her standing a few feet from him.

“You really are good at stealth when you want to be,” he said.

“Even in stiletto heels,” she smiled.

“You are beautiful tonight,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said

He noticed that she had one hand behind her back. She brought her hand from her back and she was holding mistletoe. He smiled and moved close to her as she raised it above their heads. Dick kissed her hungrily on the mouth and she returned the kiss in kind. Dinah dropped the mistletoe and placed her hand behind his head and wrapped it in his hair. Their kiss deepened.

From the house, Alfred noticed the pair from a second floor widow, where he was checking on some guests who got lost. A smile came over his face. He wouldn’t mention this to Master Dick, but he’d keep an eye on it. On the first from the den widow, Barbara saw the kiss. Her first reaction was a hot flash of jealousy, but that passed. It was replaced with concern. She didn’t want either Dinah or Dick to get hurt and she knew that both of them had a history of failed relationships. Barbara would keep an eye out for them, too.

 


	11. Chapter 11

Christmas Eve. Dick wasn’t sure if this was the best idea to go searching the city for Two Face on the Batcycle. It was snowing and it was cold. At first, it started as a light snow, but by eight-thirty it was snowing heavily. Even with his insulated Batsuit, Dick was starting to get cold on his search. Skidding to a stop, he contacted Bruce.

“Any signs of Two Face?” he asked.

“Nothing so far,” growled Bruce.

“Last known spot he was seen?” asked Dick.

“Gotham Village. He was seen in a bar called Janus. He had his men empty their cash register telling the owner he was the Two Faced God,” answered Bruce.

“Anything special going on tonight?” Dick asked.

“It’s Christmas Eve,” Bruce answered as if to say you know what was happening.

“I’m freezing and not thinking right now,” Dick said.

“Aparo Park. There is caroling, reindeer in cages, even a Santa in his sleigh handing out early gifts tonight. Remember?” Bruce prodded him.

“I’m headed to Aparo Park. Sounds like a good spot for Two Face to cause trouble,” said Dick.

He gunned his bike and changed direction to Aparo Park. Bruce thought about it and he was right. Harvey Dent loved Christmas; Two Face hated it. He’d want to destroy people having a good time. Maybe even hold them captive for the holiday. Bruce contacted Oracle.

“Oracle,” Gus Yale answered his headset. He was shocked that someone had hacked his system.

“This is the Batcave. Is Batgirl there?” growled Bruce.

“Yeah, sure,” said Gus dismissing the hacker. “Try it somewhere else.”

“Listen to me before I haul myself to the Clock Tower and clean your clock, I need to speak to Batgirl,” he demanded.

“Okay,” Yale said realizing he’s made a mistake then he called for Barbara.

When she came into the computer room, Gus tossed her the headset. She put it on.

“Hello,” she said.

“Aparo Park. It’s the perfect spot for Two Face to ruin Christmas Eve and take hostages. Batman is on the way there but he’ll need backup,” said Bruce.

“I’m on my way with Huntress and Black Canary. Katana and Lady Shiva are out of town,” said Batgirl.

“Good enough. Don’t be surprised if the Batcopter shows up,” he said then he hung up.

Bruce stood up using one cane and made his way to the armory. The new Batman armor was in there. If he put that on, it would do most of the work for him. There would be no pressure on his back or legs. If Harvey was going to ruin Christmas for some of the people of Gotham City then it was up to Batman to ruin his year and he was the real Batman. He grabbed the phone that connected him to the upstairs.

“Yes, sir,” Alfred answered.

“I need your help in the Batcave, Alfred,” he stated.

Dick arrived at the park. The lights were on in the show making it look like a winter wonderland. Many of the trees of the park had Christmas lights strung up and on. Dick could hear carolers singing _Joy to the World_. In another part of the park, a man dressed as Santa was sitting in a sleigh handed out gifts to kids who sat in his lap and in cages eating carrots were eight reindeer. This was Gotham at its best, which made it a perfect spot for Two Face to show up.

Dick locked his bike with a kill switch code and started to look about the park for anything suspicious. Several kids came up to him and stopped and stared up at him.

“Batman?” one of the kids said.

“Definitely not Superman,” he answered in his mic enhanced Batman voice.

“Merry Christmas,” another one said.

“Same to you,” he said then he thought he saw something suspicious. Ten men in long overcoats followed behind a Santa whose hat hid half his face. He started to run towards them when Santa pulled off his hat and beard then Two Face yelled, “Merry Christmas! It’s a time for giving and you are going to be giving to me.”

The ten men tossed off their overcoats to expose that they had body armor and were well armed with automatic weapons. Dick reached into his utility belt and brought out two explosive batarangs in each hand then he yelled at the top of his lungs.

“Everyone, take cover. Move away from the criminals,” he yelled.

With that he enabled the batarangs and threw them. They landed in the ground in front of the ten and then exploded sending them backwards on their asses. As they tried to gather themselves, he threw another one at Harvey, who pulled one of his Colt Double Eagle Handguns and fired at the batarang. He hit it and it exploded in mid-air, but it gave Dick enough time to Land his boots in Two Face’s chest.

Harvey fell back on the snow with a heavy thud. Before he could get up, Dick kicked him in his ribs and was about to kick him again when several of his men opened fire on him. Dick did a tuck and roll away for the strafing of bullets tearing up the snowy grass. As they prepared to fire on him again, three motorcycles appeared out of nowhere. The Huntress dove off her bike and tackled two of the men. Batgirl rode into two more of them wiping her bike out, while the Black Canary came to a skidded sideways stop and unleashed one of her sonic cries that tossed the remaining six men backwards on to their backs again.

Dick got up as Two Face got up. Harvey pulled his other Colt Double Eagle and fired a headshot at Dick. Dick was about dodge the bullet when his foot slipped in the snow. Instead of moving away from the bullet, he fell into it. It hit him on the side of the head knocking him unconscious.

Unfortunately, for Dick he wasn’t awake when fifteen more of Two Face thugs came out of nowhere to turn the tide of the battle against the Birds of Prey. Before the police could get there, Two Face and nine of the men along with Dick were gone. The rest of his men were under arrest by the Birds of Prey and the search for Batman began.

 

DCEU

 

Alfred prepped the Batcoper, as Damian assisted Bruce getting into the final pieces of the new battle armor. Once in the battle armor, Bruce stood six foot six and weighed close to four hundred pounds. It was navy blue, except for the black bat symbol on the armor’s chest. Bruce was able to walk, run, and move with more agility than one would think in the suit. He also could attain low level flight and fire missiles, and fire various batarangs from the launchers on his wrists.

“Sir, the Batcopter is ready,” said Alfred.

“Father, what do you want me to do?” asked Damian.

“Monitor things here, Damian. If you need to then let Batgirl know where to go to back me up,” said Bruce.

“And?”

“And hope we get to your brother before Two Face is done with him,” growled Bruce.

The elevator opened and Selina exited wearing her Catsuit. She winked at Damian as she put on her googles then she looked at armored Bruce.

“I’ll fly the copter,” she said.

“You can fly a helicopter?” Bruce asked.

“Oh, yes,” she purred.

She walked over to the Batcopter, got into the pilot seat and buckled up. Bruce got into the back.

“Alfred open the tennis court so we can take off,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” replied Alfred.

 

DCEU

 

Dick woke up feeling nauseous and dizzy. He felt his wrists and ankles were bound. Looking around he now saw that he was bound to a wooden X that was rigged to split him in half when Two Face pulled a lever. He could feel the stored energy of the wood wanting to be released.

“How clever,” he growled, “Two Face splits Batman into two.”

Harvey laughed at this then replied, “I love irony, don’t you?”

“No coin toss?” asked Dick.

“Already did it. You lose. I win,” Harvey said.

Looking about further, Dick saw that he was at Gotham Stadium in the middle of the now snow covered field. When he exhaled he could see the steam from his breath. This didn’t go as he had planned.

“What are we waiting for, Two Face?” Dick growled.

“Media attention. An audience. Batman can’t shuffle off this mortal coil without an audience,” said Two Face.

Two television helicopters appeared over head as well as a police one.

“Ah, we must be streaming live now,” said Harvey. “Our final game can begin.”

Damian told Barbara where Dick was located and his condition. On their bikes, the Birds of Prey raced to the stadium, as the Batcopter made its way.

“Better get ready, lover,” Selina told Bruce. “I think I have enough time to lower you about thirty feet off the ground.”

“You’ll be taking weapon fire,” he said.

“So, will you,” she replied.

“ETA?”

“Thirty-five seconds.”

The Birds of Prey arrived at the stadium and immediately two snipers opened up on them. They took cover.

“We’re not help anyone hiding behind a car,” Dinah spat.

Helen loaded her crossbow with two explosive arrows then she stood up and fired them in succession. They exploded in bright white light, allowing Dinah and Barbara to make a dash to get into the stadium then he hid behind the car again while she reloaded her crossbow.

Harvey smiled as he watched his men engage the Birds of Prey. He turned and looked at his strung out prey. Dick waited for Harvey to make his next move. Finally, the Batcopter arrived. All Dick could think of was Damian was in the copter. He prayed that Damian wasn’t there.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

“I gotta go and you gotta split,” sad Two Face.

Catwoman started to take fire from below as she got Bruce closer to the ground and Two Face. She as glad that the Batcopter had thick armor and bullet resistant glass. They were twenty feet above the ground when Bruce opened the door.

“I’ll be back with Dick,” he said.

“I’ll be here, Lover,” she purred.

Bruce jumped out of the batcopter. He didn’t bother to put on the thruster in his boots but instead landed hard on one knee. Standing up he start to take fire. Activating the targeting computer in his helmet, missiles came out of his shoulders. They fired take out five of Two Face men.

Dinah took advantage of this by using her sonic cry to lift up and over the walls of the stadium and landing on the field. She had never tried that before and it took a great deal out of her, but she saw Dick’s precarious position and knew she had to do something to save him.

Two Face pulled the lever and the giant wooden X tried to rip him into two. Using all his strength, he held the X in place for five, now ten seconds, but he could tell already his strength was failing. Dinah took a deep breath and sent a Canary cry at the wooden X and dick. The sonic cry destroyed the wooden X and sent Dick flying onto the snowy ground and tumbling away.

He lifted his head and saw the Battle Armor. Whoever was in it fired a batarang that turned into a bolo at Two Face legs. The bolo wrapped around his legs tying him up. The armor fired another bolo batarang that wrapped itself around Two Face midsection causing him to fall on the snowy ground.

Dick tried to stay conscious, but his bones ached from the sonic cry, his muscles ached from the X, and his head throbbed from the bullet. He passed out. Bruce headed over to him and picked him up like he was a child. Dick moaned as he did it. Dinah walked over to Bruce in the Battle Armor.

“Is he okay?” she asked with great concern.

“Beaten up, but he’ll be fine. You saved his life,” he said.

“We did,” she corrected him.

“How are you feeling?” he asked her.

“Wiped out. I did things I did things tonight I’d never done before,” she admitted.

“Rest. I’ll expect you and the rest of your nest at the manor tomorrow for Christmas,” he said. “Now I need to get him out of here.”

She watched as he lifted off and continued to watch as Bruce got Dick into the Batcopter then got in himself. Selina waved at her then fly away. Barbara came up beside him.

“You’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?” she asked.

“Bruce. No,” Dinah answered with annoyance in her tone.

“Not Bruce. Bruce belongs to Selina. I’m talking about Dick. You’ve fallen in love with him,” she said.

Dinah looked at her unable to hide an expression of surprise. Bruce really did teach his people to be detectives.

“I… yes, I love him,” she said.

“I know how you feel. Dick is easy to fall in love with, but once you do, he’s difficult to hold onto. I didn’t manage it, but I think you can and I recommend that you do,” said Barbara.

“Barbara…,” Dinah started to speak.

“Dinah, I don’t know how far you’ve gotten with him, but I can see how much you love him. Whatever you need to pursue him and be with him, do it,” she said.

“I have to think about it. I’ve made too many mistakes with men,” sighed Dinah.

“Don’t take too long,” Barbara stated. “I have a feeling Bruce will be Batman again real soon and Dick will return to Bludhaven.”   

“It’s not too far away,” Dinah said about Bludhaven.

“It can be the move if you don’t take the trip,” said Barbara. “The police are coming so let’s get out of here.”

 

DCEU

 

Every muscle, tendon, and bone hurt when Dick woke up. His head throbbed with the pain of a migraine. Every bit of him ached in a way he didn’t know he could hurt. Slowly, sitting up he moaned with pain. He looked at the table bedside the bed and waiting for him was subscription strength painkiller and a glass of water. _Thank you, Alfred_ , thought Dick. He reached over and took two pills and drank down the water.

With that done, he threw his legs over the side of the bed, slipped his feet into leather slippers, then he put stood and walked over to the door and grabbed a black terry cloth robe that was waiting for him. He put the robe on over his pajama pants and white tee shirt then he opened his bedroom door. The sounds of someone playing Christmas music on the piano made Dick wonder if he was in the right place.

The light from the sun hurt Dick’s eyes, but he made his way to the living room where the main Christmas tree was and the piano. When he got there, he saw Damian playing with the some video game that appeared to make him happy, Selina enjoying a cup of coffee, and Bruce playing Christmas music on the piano. Bruce stopped playing and turned to see Dick standing in the door. He recognized the squint of pain on his face. Reaching on top of the piano there was a small wrapped box. He tossed it to Dick.

“Merry Christmas,” Bruce said.

Dick opened up his present to find a classic Wayfarer Ray ban dark glasses. He out them on and smiled.

“Thanks, Bruce,” he said.

“You doing okay, brother?” asked Damian.

“I’m hurting all over,” he said then he walked over to the arm chair and sat down.

Alfred appeared at his side and handed him a mug of coffee just the way he liked it. Selina offered him a smile but didn’t say a word. Bruce left the piano and barely using one cane walked over to the sofa and sat beside Selina. She rested her head on his shoulder.

“You’ll be hurting for several days and I’d say that you have a grade three concussion. Batman is taking a holiday,” Bruce said. “If there are any emergencies, I’ll suit up in the battle armor and go out.”

“I’d argue with you but my head hurts,” said Dick.

“I have toast and butter for you for breakfast and later I have chicken soup for you, Master Dick,” said Alfred.

“Thanks, Alfred,” Dick said and sipped his coffee.

“We have guests coming over later, the Birds of Prey,” said Bruce. “No need to dress. Today is a casual one for us, including me.”

“I was thinking of taking either a steam or the hot tub later,” said Dick.

“Either one would be good for you,” said Bruce. “Have toast and coffee first and lots of water, so you sweat.”

“Yes, sir,” Dick smiled weakly.

Damian stood up and looked at Bruce and Selina.

“I’m going to my room to play with the video games, Father. I’ll come down later to get the ones I don’t bring up now,” he said.

“Okay, Damian,” nodded Bruce.

Damian looked at Selina and asked, “Are we on for Fortnite later?”

“Of course, we are,” she grinned.

Damian nodded then he went off.

“I don’t think I’ve seen him so happy,” remarked Bruce.

“He is enjoying being part of a family, Master Bruce,” observed Alfred.

“I understand, Alfred,” said Bruce.

Dick stood up on unsteady legs. He looked at Alfred.

“I better have that toast now and some water, so I can spend some time in the hot tub,” said Dick.

“Come with me, Master Dick,” smiled Alfred.

 

DCEU

 

Dick sat in the hot tub with his sun glasses on letting the hot water assuage his body. According the news report he saw before getting in the hot tub, Harvey Dent was being sent to Arkham Asylum, which meant that Arkham right now had many unstable people in it who hated Batman and wanted him dead. Or in the case of the Joker, humiliated and dead. Bludhaven seemed like a much simpler hellhole to deal with.

“Hey, handsome, how are you feeling?” Barbara asked him.

Dick, who had his head resting on a folded towel, lifted his head and looked at her. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater with her red hair tied back and looked to be in a good mood.

“Hey, Babs,” he replied.

“Bruce said you were battered and bruised with a concussion that is giving you a migraine. Sounds about right?” she asked.

“Yup,” he answered. “Where Helen and Dinah?”

“Helen is downstairs playing video games with Damian and Dinah was called away. Last night, she got a call from Amanda Wallis, who used to be in charge of Team 7, which she was part of. It appears that she had information about Kurt Lance, her deceased husband,” Barbara replied.

“Okay, wow. Kurt Lance, huh? How did he die?” asked Dick.

“You know anything about Kurt Lance?” asked Barbara.

“No. Can you tell me?”

“I think I have to tell you. Team 7 was filled with a mix of metahumans and humans. Dinah and Kurt were attracted to each other and married after six months as teammates. You see his power was the ability to magnify a metahuman’s power. He could even force Dinah to do her yell against her will. During a mission, he not only forced her to use her power but he magnified it to the point it killed him and several members of Basilisk. Dinah was devastated. She killed her own husband. Of course, she walked away from Team 7 and went off on her own for a while, eventually joining up again with Wildcat, who convinced her to join the Justice League,” explained Barbara.

“And Amanda Wallis called her last night to talk to her about her deceased husband,” said Dick.

“Allegedly her deceased husband it appears to be alive and working with Basilisk. Dinah heard this and took off on her bike to DC late last night,” Barbara told him. “She doesn’t know when she’ll be back.”

“It sounds like she could use a friend to help her and protect her back, Babs. When are you leaving for DC?” asked Dick.

“In a day or two,” said Barbara with a smile.

“Basilisk, huh? Aren’t they a homegrown terrorist cell?” asked Dick.

“Yes, they are. They’re dangerous, Dick. Helen is coming with me, as is Oracle. We are going to support Dinah,” said Barabra.

“You know if you need me all you have to do is call and Nightwing will show up,” said Dick.

“I know, especially since you have a crush on Dinah,” grinned Barbara.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” said Dick.

“Okay, we’ll just pretend you aren’t crazy about her,” smiled Barbara.

“If she needs help, call me. Otherwise, let’s drop this subject. Okay?” said Dick.

“For now,” she grinned then she turned to leave. “Oh, by the way, Mr. Grayson, she likes you, too.”

Barbara walked out of the hot tub area. She knew that Dick wanted to come with them, but he had obligations both in Gotham City and Bludhaven. But if they needed his help, she’d call him for Dinah.

 

DCEU

 

Instead of going to a formal party at Wayne Tower for New Year’s Eve, Bruce and Selina stayed at him. As for Dick he was out as Batman. Damian was off visiting Tim and working with he Titans. Bruce thought the experience would be good for him.

Instead of dealing with Bruce’s many enemies, Dick was spending New Year’s Eve dealing with common criminals. So far, he had stopped a robbery of a party of wealthy gathers in Gotham Heights. After that he stopped a jewel thief from robbing a store in the Financial District, and, finally, he broke up a fight of revelers that got out of control and almost turned into a riot. Now he stood on a gargoyle above Gotham Square and waited for the giant crystal ball to drop to signify the new year.

It was almost a new year. Bruce was almost ready to return to being Batman. Soon, it’s be time to go home and become Nightwing again. He hoped he saw Dinah one more time before he left.


	12. Chapter 12

Dinah sat in Amanda Waller Office along with Barbara. They were in civilian clothes and both of them seemed annoyed to be kept waiting by Waller, especially since it was going on a half hour of waiting. Barbara looked over at Dinah, who was deep in thought.

“What you are thinking about?” she asked.

“Two things: how could I have fallen in love with someone who’d turn into a terrorist and what Dick is up to?” she replied.

“I can answer both questions. One, you were young and he was an adventurer who made you better. I mean literally better. It must have been intoxicating. And, as for Dick, he pining away for you. You know that he’s crazy for you, Dinah. I saw the two of you kissing,” she said.

“Did you?” Dinah asked in surprised.

“The gazebo. It was hot,” smiled Barbara. “It seemed like you two were ready for more.”

Barbara noticed Dinah blushed at this statement, which made her laugh. Dinah looked at her.

“You and Dick have already done it, haven’t you? You two have had sex already,” Barbara stated.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” said Dinah.

“We’ll talk about it. Not here, but we’ll talk about it,” said Barbara.

Dinah sighed just as Amanda Waller, who looked lean and shape enough to lead a team, and Lieutenant Jim Gordon entered the office. Barbara looked at her bother and was shocked to see him. Amanda sat behind the desk and Jim took an at ease position at her side.

“Dinah Lance and Barbara Gordon, this is Lieutenant Jim Gordon, the replacement for Colonel Steve Trevor. He’s my right hand man now,” she said.

“I know who he is,” Barbara said.

“Hey, sis,” Jim said.

“Have you called dad lately?” she asked.

“Have you told him that your Batgirl?” he smirked.

“Oh, good, family dynamics,” sighed Amanda. She then looked at Dinah. “Your ex-husband needs to be caught and imprisoned. The bastard is a terrorist.”

“He’s not my ex. I believe I’m still married to him, which I intend on changing,” said Dinah.

“I contacted some people and had your marriage annulled for you. There is no reason you should pay a price for his treachery. The fact you are willing to help us catch him shows that you had nothing to do with his stabbing his country in the back,” said Amanda.

“Thanks. I think,” said Dinah.

“You’re welcome,” said Amanda. “Jim, update them on Basilisk.”

“The last time we had a location on them was Coast City. Several of our agents tracked them there. Unfortunately, two of those agents are now dead. We know that they have moved on from there, but we don’t know where. Our assumption, though, is that there is someone in Coast City who can tell us where they went,” explained Jim Gordon.

“I was going to temporarily swear your team in and give them the job of hunting down Basilisk. Once you find them, you inform us and we’ll deal with the rest. Jim will be your liaison, which means he’ll go with you along with one other,” she said.

“Who?” asked Dinah.

“Ben Turner, AKA The Bronze Tiger. He used to be part of the Suicide Squad but he’s graduated to my new team, Checkmate. Is that a problem?” asked Amanda.

Barbara started to answer but she was cut off by Dinah.

“No,” answered Dinah.

“Good,” replied Amanda. She stood up and Jim snapped to attention. Walking out from behind her desk she looked at Dinah and Barbara, who then stood up.

“Time to meet your new teammate Ben Turner and a debriefing on everything we know about Basilisk while in Coast City,” said Amanda.

“We have a Gulfstream Jet at our disposal to head out to Coast City once you’re ready,” said Jim.

“I can pilot it,” said Dinah.

“That’s what I was thinking, Lance. You’re a well trained agent. I thought you’d be team leader of this team, too,” said Amanda.

“Sounds good to me,” said Barbara.

“No jealousy?” asked Amanda.

“Only when it comes to her shape,” smiled Barbara.

“And Helen Bertinelli?” asked Amanda. “Is she jealous?”

“Only of my bike,” answered Dinah.

“Good.”

 

DCEU

 

Dick watched as Bruce worked on the uneven bars. He went through a series of acrobatic exercises increasing in difficulty until he was satisfied. Vaulting off the bars, Bruce landed to applause from Dick, which drew a smirk from Bruce. Once he was done with them he walked over to a heavy bag, taped up his hands, and started to work out on the bag. He was almost ready to resume his position of Batman and Dick knew it was time to have a conversation.

“Bruce, you’re looking great. I didn’t expect you to rehab so quick but you’re there. How do you feel about it?” he said.

Bruce did a combination of punches and ended with several right hooks and several left hooks. He stopped punching then he turned to catch a towel that Dick threw at him.

“My body feels good, better than it has in years. I owe Clark a great deal,” he said.

“Good enough to resume being Batman?” asked Dick.

Bruce wiped his face with the towel to get rid of the sweat then he dropped the towel to the ground. Dick waited for the answer.

“I’m Batman,” he smiled.

“That’s the answer I thought I’d get,” said Dick. “So you are ready?”  

“I think I am… but. But and this is an important but, I’d like Nightwing to patrol with me for a few nights until I’m sure that I’m ready,” said Bruce.

“Until you get back into the swing of things, so to speak,” said Dick.

“Exactly,” said Bruce.

“What about Selina?” smiled Dick.

“I’ll patrol with her in time, but right now I need to know I can completely trust the person with me and that’s you, Dick. No one knows my moves better than you and I know yours fairly well,” said Bruce.

“You taught me some of them, so I hope that you know my moves,” smiled Dick.

“You’ll patrol with me?” Bruce asked.

“Good thing I brought my Nightwing gear with because I know I don’t fit into my Robin suit anymore. I guess I have to be used to being a passenger again,” said Dick.

“You know that I drive,” Brue said then he started to stretch. “After I warm down. I’m taking a steam. I’ll meet you in the Batcave in two hours.”

“I’ll be there,” smiled Dick then he left to go to the kitchen. If he was going to spend the evening patrolling with Bruce, he’d need a sandwich to hold him over until they got back.

 

DCEU

 

Dinah flew the Gulfstream with her co-pilot, Ben Turner, who was provided by Amanda Waller. Even if they didn’t want him as part of the team. Waller insisted that he be a part of it. Turner was a Waller special project. Barbara, Helen, Gus, and Jim Gordon Jr. sat in the back. The flight was slated for four hours. Helen raided the pantry grabbing several bags of honey roasted peanuts and a cold beer, while Barbara talked to her brother, whose file she just read, and Gus napped with earbuds in his ears and dark glasses on his face.

“You finished West Point in three years then you qualified for Ranger school. Graduated in the top of your class and for the last three years you were a Ranger. The last year you worked for Amanda Waller. We don’t hear from you at all, Jamey,” she said using the name she used for him as a kid.

“Besides being busy, Barb; I’ve been traveling and training,” he said.

“Dad would have loved hearing from you, A text, tweet, e-mail, anything. He’d been through the roof to hear from his son,” she told her brother.

“Well, as I said, I’ve been busy,” he replied. “And you, my darling sister, you’re Batgirl. You hang out with the Birds of Prey, Batman, and Justice League. See, we all have our secrets, don’t we?”

“But we are family,” she countered.

“Do you considered Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson family?” asked Jim Gordon.

“You might want to warn Amanda Waller about fucking with Batman and Nightwing,” she said not bother to hide their secret identities. She knew her brother already knew. His tone told her. “They are capable of more than Amanda Waller can handle and they have a few friends who’d you wouldn’t want to make angry. Plus, they are difficult to handle on their own.”

“Amanda understands, Barb. She had no intention of screwing with them,” he said. “Wayne Tech and Wayne Aerospace are big suppliers to the DOD and NASA. He has more satellites in space than she does. Plus, Batman appears to have filed away more secrets then even Amanda Waller. Now, that is impressive.”

“Jamey, why are you working for Amanda Waller?” she asked bluntly.

“Two reasons: ambition and duty. It’s as simple as that,” he said.

“Is it?” she asked.

Before she could answer Helen threw her two bags of honey roasted peanuts. Since she had her earbuds in and was listening to music she assumed a motion by Barbara meant that she wanted some peanuts. Barbara caught the bags and tossed one to her brother.

“Have you dealt with Basilisk before?” she asked him.

“I’ve dealt with their type before,” he said. “They’re all over the world and they’re dangerous, groups of bastards willing to endanger and kill innocent citizens in order to make a point that no one cares about.”

“You sound like dad,” she said.

“I don’t mean to,” he replied.

“Where is the bitterness towards dad coming from, Jamey?” she asked him.

He opened his bag of peanuts and empty half the bag into his mouth. After chewing for several seconds, he swallowed.

“When ma died dad buried in his work. I understand that he blamed himself for her death. A fucking psycho killed her. But he didn’t have to try and clean up all of Gotham City at the expense of his two children,” said Jim.

“He was there for us when we needed him the most,” she said.

“Really? I don’t remember him at my baseball games or football games,” he said.

“Jamey, he was a captain in the police department then he became superintendent. Everyone knew he was going to be commissioner eventually because he was the most competent and honest cop in the GPD. He still is. Sacrifices had to be made,” she said.

“And you and I were one of them,” he said.

“Bullshit,” she snapped. “You really are the baby of the family.”

“Yeah, I guess that I am,” he smiled. “So, is Dinah single?”

“She’s no your type,” Barbara stated.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because she likes men with scars,” she growled then she got up and joined Helen.

Jim Gordon finished his peanuts.

 

DCEU

 

It was supposed to be an easy job. Break into the warehouse with two trucks and twelve men, load up boxes of goodies and then take off. The only hard part was the cold weather and the snow. Of course, easy jobs often turned difficult when you tried to do them. This job turned out to be very hard.

Breaking into the warehouse went well and after backing the two trucks, six men got out of each truck and started to load boxes. That was when the easy part ended, though. As two men picked up a heavy box, a batarang came out of nowhere and embedded itself in the box. It beeped twice then exploded sending the two men onto their asses and the contents of the box all over the warehouse floor. Another two men carrying a box a wingding embedded itself in the box and exploded. Two more men on the floor and the contents of the box all over the place.

“Who the fuck is here?” cried the leader of the thieves. He pulled out a sidearm and aimed it at no one in particular.

“Drop all your weapons and get down on your knees or suffer the consequences, which, trust me, you won’t enjoy,” the familiar voice of Batman called out.

“I’d listen to him. We have you outnumbered and outclassed,” called out Nightwing from the shadows.

“There are twelve of us. How many are there of you?” the head thief called out.

Batman stepped out of the shadows. He looked like the ominous Dark Knight that he was.

“One of me,” he growled.

Dick, who was on top of one of the trucks, did a back flip off the truck and landed in the middle of four of the men, who were shocked by his appearance.

“And one of me,” he smiled. “You need at least twelve more men to make this a fair fight.”

Before they could respond, Dick landed a kick under one man’s jaw then he swiped the leg of another, hip tossed a third, and landed a perfect elbow to the temple on the fourth. While, he did this Batman took on three of them at once. A right hook to the stomach doubled over one of them, which allowed Bruce to use him to as support as he catapulted over them man and landed a big boot in one man’s chest and the other man’s gut. The fight took all of forty-five more seconds and twelve men were on the floor, zip cuffed, and waiting for the police to come. Bruce and Dick were already in the Batmobile, waiting in the shadows for the police to come.

“How did that feel, Bruce?” asked Dick.

“Easier than I thought it would,” answered Bruce. “Maybe too easy.”

“I know it was Killer Croc or Bane but they were criminals, right?” Dick said.

“You don’t have to convince me, Dick. We did good work here tonight. I just need some time to get back into the full swing of things, which includes doing some investigative work and gathering intelligence,” said Bruce.

“Who should we start with then?” smiled Dick.

“I heard a rumor that Victor Zsasz is in town. I don’t know who brought him to town, but usually that means dead bodies start piling up,” said Bruce.

“Finally, someone to send to Blackgate Penitentiary rather than Arkham Asylum,” said Dick.

“That reminds me. It’s time that Wayne Enterprises donates money for a new security wing for Akham Asylum,” said Bruce.

“Can we make it really high-end security, Bruce? I’m started to think that the Joker has keys to get in and out of that place,” said Dick.

“Agreed,” said Bruce.

Bruce looked at the time on the Batmobile’s dashboard. The police sirens told them that they could leave now. He looked over at Dick.

“I was thinking of meeting with Gordon at the diner. He and I haven’t had coffee and conversation in a long time,” said Bruce.

“How do you let him know since it’s not a scheduled day?” asked Dick.

Bruce pushed a button on the dashboard and a computer popped up. He typed a text into it and sent to Jim Gordon. Dick smiled.

“What do you want me to do?” he asked.

Next, Bruce typed a message and coordinates into the computer then he looked at Nightwing.

“The Batcycle is on the way here. You can either heck out the city or head home. The choice is yours,” said Bruce.

“I think I’ll go home, so Alfred can get a good night sleep and I can get a meal for bedtime,” said Dick.

“Sounds good,” said Bruce.

 

DCEU

 

Jim Gordon came into the diner and shook the snow off his trench coat. Outside his car and security would wait for him until it was time to go home. He took off his trench coat, walked over to a booth in the back, hung it up, and then sat down. Immediately a waitress came over with two mugs full of coffee.

“I’ll give you time to place your order,” she said then left.

Once she was gone, Bruce slipped into the booth. He started to fix his coffee.

“Good to see that your back,” smiled Gordon.

“You can tell the difference?” asked Bruce.

“Your replacement is thirty pounds lighter, shorter, and I have a feeling he’s prettier than you,” chuckled Gordon.

Bruce chuckled, too. Dick was prettier than him. Gordon always was observant. It was one of things that made him a great cop.

“I’m back,” said Bruce.

“I’m glad to have you,” said Gordon, “Although, your replacement did a great job. I can’t complain about him.”

“First he was Robin and now he’s Nightwing. Being Batman wasn’t that much of a push for him,” said Bruce.

“Give him my best,” said Gordon, who took a sip of his coffee. “Thanks for the collar tonight. They were stealing food stuffs that was slated to go to homeless shelters throughout the city. They were going to sell the food to black marketers to sell to poor people. Good collar.”

“Thanks,” said Bruce.

The waitress returned. Jim smiled.

“I’ll have the turkey club sandwich,” said Jim Gordon.

“And for you?” she asked Batman.

“I’ve never tried the meatloaf dinner. Give me that,” he said.

“Green beans or corn?” she asked.

“Green beans,” he answered.

She left and Gordon settled back into the booth.

“There is a rumor of Victor Zsasz being back in town. Have you heard anything?” asked Bruce.

“Marconi invited him back to do some unfinished business, or should I say some unfinished killing,” said Gordon. “We are searching for him.”

“I’ll start a search for him, too,” said Bruce. “The sooner we get him into Blackgate the better.”

“I agree with that,” said Gordon. He sighed heavily. “Man like him makes this job weigh heavier than it should. I’m starting to feel like a very old man and a tired one at that.”

“This city needs you, Jim,” said Bruce.

“Does it? Sometimes I think it would be better served by a younger commissioner with younger ideas,” said Gordon.

“No. You are the commissioner. No one else could do the job that you do, Jim. This police department is one of the best because of you. This city is better for having you,” said Bruce.

“And you,” said Gordon. “You’ve done more than I ever could have.”

“Then let’s agree that the city needs both of us. Not one of us but both of us,” said Bruce.

“For now, at least,” smiled Gordon, who drank some of his coffee.

 

DCEU

 

Dinah and Ben Turner walked into a Coast City waterfront bar. It was the type of place that had local longshoremen, some military, and local criminal element. Outside in a van was Gus, Barbara and Jim Gordon, who was the driver. Helen was on a motorcycle, so she could get into the bar quickly if they needed her.

“Your word for help is Checkmate,” Barbara said in Dinah’s and Turner’s ear pieces.

Turner found an empty table and sat down. Dinah continued to the bar. According to their intelligence a former associate of Kurt Lance drank in this bar. His name was John Lynch and once upon a team he was a founding member of Team 7. The bartender shuffled over to Dinah.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

She took out a fifty dollar bill and placed it on the bar top.

“I’m looking for John Lynch. He’s got brown hair and is in his forties,” she said.

“Don’t know him,” said the bartender.

She put another fifty on top of the other one. The bartender licked his lips. He knew Lynch.

“Just tell me where he lives and the money is yours and I’m gone,” she said.

“He don’t know nothing,” a burly longshoremen looking type said to Dinah as he walked up beside her.

“And you don’t speak good grammar,” she said sarcastically. “Now move back and stop breathing on me.”

“I’ll do more than breath on you,” he growled.

“Yeah, you’ll bleed on yourself,” she told him.

She could see five or six guys looked to be on the guy’s side and maybe another three. Not that many to worry about calling in backup. The longshoreman moved closer. Without hesitation Dinah headbutted his nose braking it and causing it to bleed profusely.

This led to the men who supported him to start towards her. That was their mistake. The Bronze Tiger was one of the great martial artists in the United States.

“Jesus, give me strength,” he said then he stood up and attacked the men.

In a whir of violence and skill he dismembered five of the men. Dinah turned and entered the fray. Using a combination of kicks, elbows, and hand thrusts, she took care of the rest. Turner looked at her and then at the bartender, who had not moved an inch. Dinah sauntered up to the bar.

“The money is still there. Where is Lynch staying?” she asked.

“There’s a motel near the beach. It’s called the Sand Dune. He stays there,” the bartender told her.

Dinah put a finger on the money and moved it towards him then she turned and walked out of the bar along with Turner. They headed to the van and got in the back.

“This is crowded,” Dinah said. “Sand Dune Motel.”

“We should recon it before going in,” said Barbara.

“How about a stakeout?” said Dinah.

“A stakeout it is. Let’s collect some information on Lynch before we grab him,” said Barbara.

 


	13. Chapter 13

The apartment was in the Old Gotham neighborhood of the city. It was a large two bedroom. The rent on it wasn’t too bad considering it thought of as an upcoming neighborhood, one that the city was starting to spend money on to make better and entice restaurants and stores to open. A realtor would call this a neighborhood with great potential, which also meant you better have a good security lock.

The police precinct was eight blocks away and the nearest fire station was ten blocks away. According to the landlord the tenant was new, a pretty young thing, he called her. To Marconi she was a potential problem that needed to be solved, a young woman who saw something she shouldn’t have and now needed to forget forever. Marconi always said best way to make someone forget was death. Victor Zsasz agreed it.

Using a lockpick, Zsasz unlocked the door to the apartment. Zsasz entered the apartment quietly. As he walked down the short hallway he passed a mirror and took a look at himself. He was a feral looking men, somewhere between a reptile and ferret. His jacket zipped all the up and his shirt was button to the top button. The only skin he exposed was his face, neck and hands. The reason he did this was because his body was filled with marks signifying his body count. To date he estimate killing of three hundred men, women, and a child.

Zsasz preferred weapon was the knife. His favorite was a Damascus Bowie Knife, which he kept in a hidden sheath inside of his jacket. Slowly unzipping his jacket, he removed his knife and started towards the bathroom where he heard singing and someone in the bath tub.

“ _I can’t give you anything but love, baby_ ,” sang the woman, his victim. “ _It’s the only thing there is plenty of, Baby_.”

He quietly made his way to the bathroom. This was going to be a pleasure for Zsasz. Women made the best victims. They showed greater fear and begged for their life with more gusto than men, although he had done one or two men who had squirted themselves. He took another step and a floor board creaked, so he stood perfectly still.

“Hello, is anyone out there?” called the woman. “Hello.”

He didn’t say a word, but willed himself to almost disappear.

“Hello,” she called out. “I’ll call the police.”

Zsasz smiled at this. If she called the police that would just make for a few more victims. Killing cops was enough better than killing women. He hated cops. They disgusted him because they acted like they were superior to him. Cops were no better than him. They were worse.

She stopped calling out and he heard the water swooshing around like she was standing up, so he moved quickly and quietly to the bathroom door and forced it open. Standing there in her Catwoman suit was Selina. She hissed at him and then swiped at him with her claws. Zsasz stepped back and hit a wall that wasn’t there before.

“You won’t be killing anyone tonight, Zsasz,” stated Batman.

Zsasz turned around and was facing Batman. Above everyone he hated Batman the most. This bastard had stopped him too many times from adding to his body count. Killing him would be more than satisfying because Batman was a hypocrite. He said he didn’t kill, but he had no problem causing great pain to those he deemed evil or wrong doers.

Thrusting out with his knife, Batman disappeared behind his cape. Batman reached out once Zsasz missed his mark and grabbed his arm with the knife it. He twisted it until Zsasz dropped the knife then he punched him the gut and followed it with a kick that send him to the wooden floor.

“No! You can’t do this,” screamed Zsasz. “You can’t stop me from my victim. Where is she? She deserves to die!”

“No one is dying tonight,” Batman stated.

Zsasz got up then he reached behind him and pulled another knife out of a sheath he kept behind his pants. This time he threw the knife at Batman, who easily dodge it. Zsasz followed this up with another knife and an attack.

He came wildly at Batman stabbing and slicing. Selina exited the bathroom and saw this but did nothing. She knew that Bruce wanted to take care of Zsasz all by himself. For his part Bruce dodged and countered everyone of Zsasz’s moves until he was on the verge of utter chaos then Bruce started to attack Zsasz.

A kick to the knee to slow him down and throw him off balance, followed by an elbow to the solar plexus causing Zsasz to feel pain and need air. Next came a right to the body then a left to the body then a right to the jaw putting Zsasz unto his knees. Bruce pulled out real steel cuffs this time on Zsasz as he pulled his arms behind his back. He then searched him for more weapons and found two more knives then three razors.

Dick out of the kitchen as Nightwing. He was eating a piece of chocolate cake.

“This cake is delicious,” he said.

“I was saving a piece for later,” said Selina.

“This isn’t a time for games,” Bruce stated.

“Cake isn’t a game. I like cake,” said Selina.

“And I called Gordon and told him we have Zsasz. He is personally on the way with some handpicked men,” Dick told him.

Selina sauntered over to Dick and took the fork from him and sampled the cake.

“That really is good cake,” she said.

“You should tell Alfred to pick up a German chocolate cake,” smiled Dick.

“Enough about the cake,” growled Bruce.

Both Dick and Selina chuckled. Dick finished his piece of cake then went back into the kitchen and washed the plate and fork. When he returned to the living room, Selina was halfway out the window. She went out and up the fire escape. Bruce followed her, so he followed Bruce. Once they were on the roof, they heard three police cars and an unmarked police car with their sirens on coming their way.

“Not a bad night’s work,” said Dick.

“Getting better,” said Bruce.

“Give me a ride back, Big boy?” asked Selina.

“Follow me,” Bruce said and they took off in the directions were the Batmobile was hidden.

Dick took a deep breath of the cold air. Instead of heading directly to the Batcycle, he decided to take a short patrol of Old Gotham. It was a clear, cold night. Someone was probably in trouble.

 

DCEU  
  


Dinah and Turner rented a sedan and sat staking out Lynch at the motel. Back at their hotel Barbara and Gus worked on laptops bringing up as much information as they could on Basilisk in order to track them. Barbara dedicated a laptop to facial recognition of Kurt Lance after hacking into CCTV’s in several cities. She knew this was a longshot but longshots did come in on occasion.

As Helen and Jim Gordon, they acted doing errands and being backup. Everybody had a job and no one complained because the quicker they found Kurt Lance, the quicker the Birds of Prey could return to Gotham City. Yes, Lady Shiva and Katana had gone off to Japan on a private mission, but Starling and Batwoman, who were part-time members, were keeping an eye on things in Gotham City. And there was always Batman looming over the city.

Dinah smart phone rang twice before she answered it.

“Hello.”

“How’s it going?” Barbara asked.

“Slow,” Dinah exhaled.

“I saw on-line that Victor Zsasz was caught in Gotham City. Sounds like Batman set him up,” said Barbara.

“Good to have that bastard off the streets,” Dinah replied.

“I’m running facial recognition on CCTV in several cities. It’s slow but we might get something from it in a few days to a week. I wish I had the computer in the Batcave to do this. It’d be faster,” Barbara told her.

“Anything we can do, we should,” said Dinah.

A car pulled into the motel parking lot. It parked in front of Lynch’s motel room. A man, who looked and dressed like an ex-merc, got out of the car and entered the room.

“Gotta go, Babs,” said Dinah.

Dinah hung up. On the other end of the smart phone, Barbara was glaring at her phone.

“I hate being called Babs,” she hissed. “Except by Dick.”

Dinah and Turner got out of the sedan and crossed the street avoiding traffic. They walked into the parking lot and towards Lynch motel room. Now was a chance to get some information out someone that they could use. Turner knocked on the door.

“Go away,” came the answer.

Turner looked at Dinah, who nodded. Putting his shoulder into it the door creaked and then opened. Turner and Dinah walked into the motel room and saw Lynch packing his bags.

“Going somewhere, John?” asked Dinah.

“Shit, Dinah Lance. Or are you Dinah Drake again?” he asked.

“Dinah Lance will do, Lynch,” said Dinah.

Lynch stopped packing and sat down on the bed. He looked like a defeated man.

“Are you here to kill me?” he asked. “Has Amanda Waller finally decided to collect her debts?”

“No, we came for information and that’s all,” said Turner.

“Information. You know information costs,” Lynch chuckled.

“Lynch, I remember you from Team 7. You trained me, or, you tried to train me. What to do you remember the most about me when I want something?” Dinah asked him.

“You’d kill for it,” he said.

“Where is Kurt?” she asked.

He laughed then leaned forward and rubbed his face with his hands. Once he was done, he looked at Turner and Dinah.

“I don’t know where he is, but I know something, something that might help you find him,” he said. “What can you give me?”

“A three day lead before I let Amanda Waller know where you are,” said Dinah.

“Amanda,” he sneered. “If she got hold of me this time, she’d be me in her brilliant idea the Suicide Squad. Fuck her. I’m not doing that shit anymore. I’m out of the game. Make it four days.”

“Done,” said Dinah.

“Kurt and his team are planning a long term mission, one that will put them back in the game in a big way. It involves an East Coast City and an act of terrorism that will kill thousands. According to what he told me, he has the city picked out and all he is doing is gathering the players, the money to accomplish his mission, and waiting for the right time in the next six months,” he told her.

“That’s all. Shit, Lynch, that’s nothing,” growled Dinah.

“It will involve a fucking circus. Imagine that. A fucking circus. He wants men, women, and children dead. Now, do I know the city? No. Do I know when? No. Do I know the circus? Fuck, no. But look at what you have. East Coast. Six Months. And a fucking Circus. And there are only a few of those left in the US,” he stated.  

“You just bought yourself four days, Lynch. I recommend you disappear and you stay that way this time,” Dinah warned him.

Turner and Dinah turned to leave. As they did Lynch called to her. She stopped and turned back to looked at him.

“Dinah, he isn’t right in the head. Something happened to him. I don’t know what it was, but the man is cold blooded and obsessed with one thing. He wants to replace Amanda Waller. She represents something to him and he wants that. Knowing Kurt, she represents power and control, two things we didn’t have in Team 7,” said Lynch. “Stop him.”

“I intend to,” she said.

Turner and her left. They jogged over to the car and got into it. Once Turner started the car and headed to the hotel, he broke the silence.

“Amanda Waller thinks she’s a patriot. She isn’t. She’s a damned out of control cog in the machine,” said Turner.

“Well, first, we deal with Kurt Lance then we’ll deal with her,” said Dinah.

“You’d take her out?” asked Turner.

“I’d make sure she had a room with a view in a federal penitentiary for the rest of her life,” answered Dinah.

“Okay, first, Kurt Lance then Amanda Waller,” grinned Turner.

 

DCEU

 

Bruce turned in his bed and heard Selina moan. Opening his eyes, he saw her sleeping soundly on the left side of his bed. It was a large bed, a California King. He hardly ever shared his bed, though. Alfred said that he enjoyed sharing his thoughts more than he shared his bed. But this was different Selina was different. Bruce couldn’t explain but she was. And it was the sex or her beauty. She was just different.

He slowly sat up and brought his feet to the floor. It has been a long night but a good one. He was Batman again, which felt right. Damian extended his stay with the Titans telling him that he was learning a lot. He was probably playing video games more than training, but he’d let him have his time for now. While Damian enjoyed his time with the Titans, he’d get back to being Batman and more.

“Hey, lover, where are you going?” groaned Selina.

“Shower then breakfast. Care to join me?” he asked.

“Cats don’t like to get wet,” she purred.

“Really?” he said turning his head and starting at her. His right eyebrow was raised to convey his disbelief.

Selina laughed. The sound of the laugh made Bruce want to go back to bed and stay there all day with her. But there were things to do.

He stood up exposing the fact that he was naked. Walking towards his bathroom, he said, “You know where I am if you want to join me.”

He entered the bathroom. Selina got out of bed. She was equally as naked as Bruce. With the grace of a dancer, she walked towards the bathroom. A Cheshire grin was on her face, as she thought to herself, _I wonder what is for breakfast._

Downstairs in the kitchen Alfred fixed waffles, scrambled eggs, link sausages, and a large pot of coffee. In the breakfast room, Master Dick was already seated at the table reading a tablet and waiting for company. Today, Richard was going to pack his bags and leave for Bludhaven. Alfred worried about him all by himself in Bludhaven. He wished he had someone there to look out for him and protect his back. Both Master Bruce and Master Dick took too many risks, more than Barbara, Damian, Jason, and Tim. They were both driven in the same way, though, they handled their burden in different ways. Bruce was power and strength melded to technique. Richard was grace and agility melded to skill. If they fought, as they did at times, it was because they were so similar yet so different.

He started to prepare the trolley so he could push the breakfast into the breakfast room. By the time everything was perfectly ready, Bruce and Selina will have joined Master Dick. They made for an odd family that was well suited to each other. It had taken some years to get there but Alfred finally felt that the Wayne family was whole again.

Dick put down the tablet as Selina and Bruce entered the breakfast room. They both looked freshly washed and refreshed. He smiled because they also looked happy with each other. Bruce Wayne had a real girlfriend. Was it time to alert the media, he thought to himself.

“Morning, Dick,” said Bruce.

“Morning.”

“Boy wonder,” Selina teased him.

“Kitty cat,” he teased back.

Bruce sat at the head of the table and Selina sat on his left. With his impeccable timing Alfred pushed breakfast room. He quickly served them and then poured himself a cup of tea and joined them.

Dick tried the waffles and grinned then said, “Alfred, I am going to miss you.”

“I know, Master Dick,” replied Alfred.

“So, you’re leaving today,” Bruce said.

“After breakfast. It’s time I get back to my city. I’ve been gone too long. Plus, there is Wayne Business to do there now. I believe on Monday I begin my VP role at Wayne Tech, well, at the sight were Wayne Tech will be,” Dick said.

“You need a Lucius. Develop a good friend you can trust and help with the business. It’s important,” said Bruce. “Wayne Enterprises would have fallen on hard time without Lucius. When Lucius retired we’ll need a new Lucius. And When I retire, you’ll be the new Bruce Wayne.”

“Damian, Jason, Tim, Bruce. You have choices,” said Dick.

“You are the eldest. You’ll be the Chairman of the Board,” said Bruce.

“We can argue you this some other time,” said Dick. “I agree that we’ll need a new Lucius. Poor Lucius has been putting off retiring for a few years now. He’s got five, tops six, years before he demands to retire.”  

“I know,” nodded Bruce. “Have anyone in mind?”

“Do you mind a female CEO?” Dick asked.

“No. Who do you have in mind?” asked Bruce.

“Her name is Sarah Lang. She was my administrative assistant. Miss Lang is a Harvard Business School Graduate, at the age of twenty-one, and she is exceptionally bright. She’s going to work at Wayne Tech as a liaison, sort of, but I intend to keep an eye on her and push her. She’ll be ready in a few years,” said Dick.

“Good.”

“Could you two enjoy this yummy breakfast and shut up,” said Selina.

Bruce looked over at her and smiled. Dick went about enjoying his breakfast. Alfred sipped his tea and watched this and thought to himself that besides someone to look after him and protect his back, Master Dick needed a woman to love like Bruce loved Selina.

 

DCEU

 

Dick placed his bags in the trunk of his Porsche then slammed it twice. Alfred, Bruce, and Selina stood in the cold waiting to say goodbye. Dick walked over to Selina and hugged her then he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Next, he gave Alfred a hug, who sniffed back tears. Finally, he shook Bruce’s hand.

“It’s not far from Gotham to Bludhaven, so visit,” Bruce said.

“I will, Bruce,” nodded Dick.

He got in his Porsche and zoomed away. Turning on his Sirius Radio Dick stopped at jazz station and let the music fill his car. Alfred exposed Dick to Classical Music, Jazz, and more. Stepping on the gas, he drove for several hours until he stopped at the same diner as before. He wasn’t really hungry but he felt like coffee and maybe a piece of pie.

Parking his in between two big rigs, he got out to hear three male voices arguing. Dick zipped up his leather jacket and started walking towards the diner. He stopped when he heard the argument turn violent.

“You son of a bitch, you cut me off back there about twenty miles ago. I want more than an apology,” one trucker said to another.

“Yeah, you’re a fucking menace to the road,” another trucker.

“I’m sorry, guys,” said the third. “I did by accident. To make it up to you, I’ll buy you lunch.”

“Why don’t you just give us the money in your wallet and we’ll buy lunch for ourselves,” said the first trucker.

“It’s cold out and it looks like snow is coming. Why don’t you get in the diner and argue inside there,” Dick suggested.

“Who are you?” said one of the truckers.

“Your conscience. Leave him alone and get inside the diner,” said Dick.

“You think you’re a tough guy, don’t you?” said the trucker who was six foot three and nearing three pounds of muscle.

The other argumentative trucker was almost as big. Dick stared at them with amusement. He wasn’t even back in Bludhaven yet and he was getting himself into trouble. Bruce wouldn’t approve. But, of course, Batman would.

The third trucker shook his head and offered a suggestion, “Let’s go inside, I’ll buy us all lunch and even top off your gas. How does that sound?”

One of the big truckers pushed himself aside. Before the two large men could make a move on Dick, he kicked out and took out the left knee of one of them then did a spinning Savate kick and connected with the other Trucker’s jaw. One trucker was on the ground hold his knee and the other one was out cold. The third trucker looked at Dick and said, “That was impressive.”

“Trust me, it was nothing,” said Dick.

The third trucker helped the one with the knee up and then helped him to his rig and into it. There was room behind the driver and passenger seats to rest and sleep. The guy crawled into that space. Dick woke the other one up then helped him up. He couldn’t speak because his jaw was starting to swell.

“I’d have a liquid diet for a few days until the swelling goes down,” he told the driver. “Be careful, though, you suck too hard on the straw and it hurts.”

The driver glared and Dick but didn’t even moan at him. Dick walked away with the third trucker, who Dick guessed was around twenty-one years old.

“I’m wanting coffee and a piece of pie, how about you?” Dick asked him.

“Sounds good, mister…”

“The name is Dick. Just call me Dick,” Dick told him.

“Name is Mike. Mike McCluskey,” replied the trucker.

“Where you headed?” Dick asked.

“Bludhaven. I drop my load off there and then turn in my truck. In a week I start at the police academy as a rookie,” said McCluskey.

“Really?” smiled Dick. “Well then that means coffee and pie are on me. I live in Bludhaven.”

“You helped me out, man, I should pay for you,” said McCluskey.

“How about this, Mike. Flynn’s is a cop bar. I frequent it. The next time you see me it’ll probably be in Flynn’s because every cop ends up there eventually. Besides great beer, Flynn makes a great steak sandwich and the prices are great. How about you buy me lunch when we meet again,” offered Dick.

“Okay,” smiled McCluskey. “Flynn’s, huh?”

“Yeah, Flynn’s,” smiled Dick as they entered the diner.

 

 

 

 

 


	14. Chapter 14

It was good to be back in Bludhaven. This was his city, his mission. Dick had parked his bike in an alleyway making sure that it was well protected with security measures then he took to the rooftops of one of the worst neighborhoods in Bludhaven. It was snowing heavily and a cold breeze cut through his insulated suit.

It had been too long since he patrolled this neighborhood, Tail’s End. Dick did a forward flip across the divide between two rooftops, landed, and ran to the edge of the roof. He scanned the street below where he saw a young boy dressed in clothes inappropriate to the weather. He looked like he was in distress, so Dick grabbed his Escrima Stick and fired the piton and wire so that he could swing down to the boy.

He landed a quietly a few feet behind the boy and walked up to him.

“Isn’t it too cold and snowy for you to be out?” he said.

The boy turned startled by hearing his voice. Now that he was up close Dick saw that he was no older than six. He was shivering.

“Nightwing,” he said in awe.

“And your name is?” he asked.

“Jamey. Jamey Monroe,” he said.

“Why are you out in this weather, Jamey?” Dick asked him.

“I’m looking for my father,” he answered. His teeth rattled from the cold.

Dick walked up to him and picked him up in his arms.

“What’s your father’s name?” he asked.

“Douglas.”

“Where is he supposed to be?” asked Dick.

“I’m not supposed to say,” Jamey answered. His body was shivering. Dick put Jamey on his left hip so he could use both hands then he opened the control panel on his right wrist. His insulated winter suit had fibers that heated the suit up if he needed it. He turned them on so that his suit got warm and then hugged Jamey closer to his body.

“Feel warmer?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He was still shivering but it lessened. Dick decided he’d take Jamey somewhere safe then go look for his father.

“You won’t get into trouble, Jamey, tell me where your father is supposed to be,” he said.

“Um… he goes out and fights at night for money,” he said.

Dick sighed. Bareknuckle boxing. It was popular in Bludhaven with a certain crowd. People, criminals and bored elites, gathered in empty warehouses and bet on men and women who fought each other until one was bloody and unable to go on.

“Where’s your mother?” he asked.

“Dead,” came the answer in a quiet voice.

Dick’s heart broke. There were too many like Jamey in his city.

“I’m going to take you somewhere safe and warm then I’m going to look for your father,” he told Jamey. “Is that okay?”

“Yes.”

Mary, Our Mother of God, Catholic Church was close by. Next to the church was a rectory where the priest and several nuns lived. He knew that Sister Mary Ann well enough to trust her with Jamey. She’d take care of him while he searched for Douglas Monroe.

He started running in the snow making sure not to slip on ice. After three blocks he came to the church and rectory. Dick walked up the steps of the rectory and rang the doorbell. It didn’t take long for someone to open the door. A woman about fifty, dressed in her modern habit, opened the door. Behind her was a much younger woman in a modern habit.

“Dear me, what have we hear?” said Sister Mary Ann looking at Dick and Jamey.

“Sister Mary Ann, I’m…,” Dick started to speak.

“I know who you are,” she said in a tone that told Dick she didn’t completely agree with his way of doing things. “Who is this young boy in your arms?”

“Jamey Monroe. He was out looking for his father. I promised to find him, but he needs somewhere to stay while I do it,” said Dick.

“Come in,” she ordered then she took Jamey from Dick and handed him to the younger nun, who looked to struggle with the boy’s size and weight. “Sister Theresa, take him in the kitchen and get him some hot chocolate and something to eat. Also, look for something warm for him to wear.”

“Yes, sister,” said Theresa, who walked down the hallway with Jamey.

“Tell me about his father,” she ordered.

“Jamey said he goes out at night to earn money boxing,” said Dick.

“Bareknuckle boxing, I’d bet,” she sighed. “Damn fool man. What do you intend to do?”

“Find him. Make sure he comes here and to get his son then give him the number of someone I know who should be able to get him a proper job so he doesn’t have to box for money,” said Dick.

“I’ll accept that,” she said. “Don’t hurt the man.”

“I won’t sister,” smiled Dick.

“You have been known to hurt people, Mister Nightwing,” she said.

“There are times I have hurt people but – Ad altiora tendo,” Dick replied.

“I strive for higher things,” she translated his Latin. “Am I supposed to be impressed by you knowing Latin.” 

“No, sister. You are supposed to take care of Jamey and I am supposed to find his father,” said Dick.

“I’ll accept that for now,” she said. “Get going. Find his father.”

“Yes, sister.”

Dick exited the rectory knowing that Jamey was going to be fine for now. As for his father, he might have to put the fear of Nightwing into him in order to get him to quit boxing and listening to him.

 

DCEU

 

The jet was heading back to Gotham City. They had enough information to work on. Six months, major city, major body count, and involving a circus of some sort. Dinah sat brooding, while Helen played cards with Turner and Gordon. Barbara sat with her laptop continuing her facial recognition search. She then opened a secure, encrypted line and sent the information about Lance and his group to Bruce.

It didn’t take long for Bruce to respond.

_Cirque Du Soleil and charity circuses are a possibility. I’ll run a search on them to see when they will be performing in East Coast city in the next six months._

Barbara thanked him then logged off. She then got up and joined Dinah.

“You look angry sitting here,” she opened the conversation.

“I’m pissed at myself for ever falling for Kurt,” she said.

“Dinah, please. When it comes to the heart we make mistakes. Look at Bruce. He had a child with Talia al Ghul. Think about that,” she smiled.

“Is Dick a mistake?” Dinah asked her friend.

Barbara sat back for a moment. The question threw her off but it deserved an answer.

“Richard Grayson is many things and most of them can be difficult, but loving him is not a mistake,” she answered.

Dinah turned and looked at her. A slight smile cracked her lips.

“I admit it, Barb, I’ve fallen in love with him. I didn’t want to but I did,” she admitted.

“Don’t fight it, Dinah. Enjoy it. When you get a chance either call him or pay him a visit,” she said.

“Not yet. I have to concentrate on getting Kurt first. He’s one of my biggest mistakes and I’m taking responsibility for him. Screw Amanda Waller. Kurt Lance belongs to me and I’m going to make sure he doesn’t end up in arrested then placed in one of her little groups like the Suicide Squad or Checkmate. He’s not getting off this time,” Dinah stated.

“Where are you going to put him then, Dinah?” asked Barbara.

“Russia wants him for crimes he committed. They have some of the harshest prisons in the world. That will be a good spot for him,” Dinah said.

“If you can get him to one of those prisons without Amanda stopping you,” said Barbara.

Dinah smiled then said, “Don’t worry, if we capture him then he’ll end up in a Russian prison.”

“I won’t argue with you,” said Barbara.

“Good choice.”

 

DCEU

 

Dick showed up at the temporary Headquarters of Wayne Tech Bludhaven Division. As security escorted him through and elevator took him to the top floor, he was pleasantly surprised when the elevator doors opened and Sarah Lang was standing there. He gave her his best smile then said, “Good morning, Sarah. I didn’t know you were already settled in Bludhaven.”

“I’m getting settled, Mr. Grayson,” she said then handed him a coffee and escorted him to his office.

“It’s Dick. Remember, I prefer Dick,” he said then he smirked and added, “That really doesn’t sound right.”

Sarah blushed but didn’t say a word.

“Sometimes I wish my mother and father named me something more exotic,” he chuckled then sat down and sampled his coffee. Sarah sat across from him.

“I received your message about Douglas Monroe, Dick. He has been set up in one of paid training programs and will have a job when the first factory or warehouse opens,” she said.

“Well done,” he nodded. “How about the other matter?”

“I’ll be contacting Mary, Mother of God Church and Sister Ann Mary today. From a quick look on their website, the church needs roof repairs and it has a food kitchen that is open weekly which they would like to open daily,” she told him.

“Off to pay for the roof and set up a grant for the food kitchen. Put the grant in the name of John and Mary Grayson,” he said.

She nodded. Her research informed her who John and Mary Grayson were.

“Anything else?” she asked.

“Yes. Um… I know there is someone better to task with this job then you, but I only know you so far,” he smiled.

“Dick, just tell me what you want and I’ll handle it,” she said.

“Bludhaven has a hockey team. I want a corporate box in the name of Wayne Tech. Also, Bludhaven Symphony, I want season two sets of season tickets, as well as the Bludhaven Pops. And, finally, I’d like to schedule a meeting with the new police commissioner. I believe they brought in someone from Central City. Commissioner Janet Harper,” he said.

“I’ll call her office and see if I can arrange something,” said Sarah. “Also, would you like me to arrange for an administrative assistant for you?”

“No. At least not for now. I won’t be keeping a full schedule here and, well, I…,” he grinned.

“I understand. I’ll act as your administrative assistant as you need one,” she smiled then she stood up to leave. “Anything else?”

“No, Sarah, you’ve done more than enough,” he said.

She exited the office and Dick stood up. He walked over to one of his widows and stared out at the city. He was bringing jobs and money to Bludhaven, but it needed so much more. So much more.

Suddenly, his smart phone buzzed. He took it out of his pocket and saw that it was encrypted mode and it was Tim. He answered.

“Hey, Tim,” he said.

“Hey, bro. I heard you were in Bludhaven, so I wanted to tell you that I’ll be coming in a month or so to buy a warehouse or building, whatever and do that Titans outpost,” he said.

“Are you sure about this?” asked Dick.

“Don

“Don’t want the competition, bro?” Tim chuckled.

“Competition isn’t the trouble, Tim. Who’ll be in charge, who’ll be training your recruits; who’ll be dealing with the local police – things like that worry me,” Dick said.

“Maybe I’ll put Damian in charge of it,” laughed Tim.

“I have enough brooding Wayne’s in my life,” replied Dick.

“Don’t worry, Dick, everything will be worked out. You know you can trust me,” Tim said.

“When you have a date let me know. I’ll get my spare bedroom ready for you,” said Dick.

“Thanks, bro,” Tim hung up.

Dick put his smart phone away. As he did he thought of Dinah for a moment. He didn’t want to admit to himself how much he missed her, but he did.

 

DCEU

 

Amanda Waller listened to Barbara’s report then she looked at Jim Gordon, Jr, who almost came to attention with a glance by her. He knew it was his time to speak.

“I believe that this team assembled is good enough to track down Karl Lance and his associates. The only thing that worries me is the time parameters of six months. Too much time. Plans can change, personnel can change,” he stated.

Dinah sighed, which brought Waller’s attention to her. They glared at each other for a few moments until Waller spoke.

“You disagree,” she said.

“We can continue the search from Gotham City with Barbara and Oracle doing their work on computers, but to just up and start looking around the Eastern seaboard for Karl and his associates would be a waste of time. We have to show patience and follow the bread crumbs and wait for them to stick their head out,” Dinah argued.

“Do you need Gordon and Turner in Gotham City?” asked Waller.

“No. We don’t. I will say that Turner was helpful. If I was you I wouldn’t waste his talents,” Dinah told her.

“Thank you for the unnecessary advice,” said Waller. “Well, Turner and Gordon will be reassigned for now. The Birds of Prey can now search using whatever methods they deem fit. All I expect is that if and when you find something that you let me know. I want Karl Lance, also.”

“Sounds good,” said Barbara before Dinah could respond.

Dinah, Helen, and Barbara stood up. They began to exit the office when Barbara stopped and spoke to her brother.

“Call dad, Jamey. He doesn’t deserve your petty rebellion,” she snapped.

Before he could respond they exited the room leaving just Waller and Gordon. She looked at James Gordon and cleared her throat drawing his attention.

“I want you to put a team together and keep an eye on them. I don’t trust them,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said.

“Get to work” she barked and he exited.

 

DCEU

 

It was another cold, snowy, miserable night out, but Dick decided not to stay in and monitor things from a warm place. He needed to be out there moving, running, and flying. From rooftop to rooftop he reacquainted himself with Bludhaven. There was a fire in a tenement building that drew his attention.

When he arrived four fore trucks were attempting to control the blaze from hopping from one building to another. There was ice hanging from their fire hoses and patches of forming on the streets and sidewalk from the water. It appeared that the building was empty, except a quick perusal with several spectrums using the latest Bruce and Lucius Fox advancements in micro-circuitry in his mask which offered him everything everything from night night vision, infra-red, and now much more, showed a small body in distress.

The body was on the third floor in apartment two. Not waiting to inform the firemen, Dick sent a line across the street and crashed through a widow and fire to land in the right apartment. The smoke was building up and he could feel his weight on the floor starting to buckle it. The apartment building was ready to fall in on itself, so he had to act quickly.

Taking long even strides, he rushed into the main bedroom and to the closet. Opening the door of the closet there was a girl around six coughing and chocking from the smoke. He took the rebreather from his utility belt and put it in her mouth then he took off towards the nearest widow.

As he ran the floor started to collapse. He had noticed when he crashed into the building that a ladder truck was placed not far from where he crashed into the place. This time he tucked the girl under his right arm and crashed through another widow, this time shield her from glass and wood as he did it. Hurdling out of the building, his left hand caught hold of the ladder truck and stopped his fall. Using his agility, he hoisted himself up onto the ladder and then handed her to a fireman who was rushing up the ladder towards him.

Deciding it was better not to exchange words, he took his Escrima stick out and fired a piton towards the nearest building not on fire and swung away leaving both police and fire surprised by his appearance and actions. The only thing that he regretted was that a news van caught him in the act. He had avoided such exposure so far, but now he’ll be headline news in the morning.

Once he was on a secure rooftop, Dick headed off. The cold was starting to get to him and he wanted to get to his bike before it was buried. According to the weatherman, there would be enough snowfall this night to close down the city for a few days. It was time to get home, get some sleep, and get warm.

 

DCEU

 

Batman sat in the Batcave after a long night of patrolling. He went out alone, even though Selina wanted to go out with him. Now he was checking up on his projects and his people. Anytime Titans, Red Robin, Robin, Batgirl, Red Hood, Catwoman, Birds of Prey, or Nightwing showed up in any media there was an alert and it was copied. Bruce sighed when he saw the alert was Nightwing. Bringing up WNCS Bludhaven news he saw the film of Dick saving the girl from the fire. Judging by the damage to the building, it had been a risky rescue, but he succeeded. The only thing wrong was he got caught clearly on film. That was sloppy. He’d call him in the morning and talk to him about his sloppiness.

Because of the Justice League, he’d been caught on film several times. He thought about erasing those appearances, but Clark wouldn’t let him do it. Clark’s reasoning was that the world couldn’t afford to be afraid of Batman. Maybe the world couldn’t afford it, but Gotham City needed to be afraid of Batman.

Bruce knew that Dick liked to do things differently, but still it was better to stay in the shadows then to be expose on TV news.

“Bruce,” purred Selina. “Come to bed.”

Damn her, Bruce thought. With her stealth she had snuck up on him again. He needed to train more on detecting stealth intruders.

“I’m almost done,” he replied.

“Hurry up. It’s cold in bed without you,” she said.

Bruce turned in his chair and finally looked at her. She was wearing nothing but one of his dress shirts. He swallowed hard.

“You’re right. It’s time for bed.”


End file.
